A summer thunderstorm more akin to the Northern Territory’s Top End than northern Victoria hit the Goulburn Valley on the evening of Tuesday, January 2, dumping 36.2mm of rain in Shepparton between 5pm and 6pm alone.
Emergency services were called to multiple instances of building damage, flooding and trees down during the storm.
Vic Emergency issued a watch and act message just after 6pm, warning people in the Echuca, Shepparton, Wangaratta, Bright, Mansfield and Mt Buller areas of a severe thunderstorm warning being issued by the Bureau of Meteorology.
That warning predicted damaging winds, heavy, locally-intense rainfall, flash flooding and large hailstones.
It also advised people in exposed areas, especially campers, to take shelter and move to higher ground.
Dozens of power outages were reported to Powercor and shoppers in the Riverside Plaza at Kialla were treated to an unintended light show as repeated power outages turned the shopping centre dark before power was quickly restored.
Public transport changes were announced as the severe weather impacted train services on the Seymour and Shepparton lines and heavy rain as well as fallen branches made roads treacherous to navigate.
Real-time traffic conditions are available at traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au
The latest public transport information and network status is available at ptv.vic.gov.au