'Threat to life': Potentially deadly Vic storm to dump three months' rain in two days
Melbourne is bracing itself for its worst flooding in 20 years with storms sweeping across Victoria described as "potentially deadly".
An unprecedented burst of wet weather is set to hit on Friday leaving the Bureau of Meteorology issuing a severe weather warning for the entire state with predicted flooding along all of the state's rivers, including the Yarra in Melbourne.
The worst hit area will be the northeastern Alpine areas, where 300mm of rain is predicted to fall - the equivalent of three times the monthly average in two days.
"This is an event of absolute massive scale, half the inhabitants of Melbourne have never ever seen anything like this " senior meteorologist Scott Williams said.
"It is an event that poses a threat to life. There will be a massive amount of lightning, there will be roads cut and flood waters."
Farmers in the northwest and Mally areas have been working tirelessly throughout the night harvesting in a bid to protect as much of their crops from predicted mass flooding.
"This event will turn farms into lakes with such rapid rain rates," Williams added.
On a scale of one to 10, Williams said the storm would be right at the top, probably a 10 for the state.
The rain is expected to hit Melbourne at around lunchtime on Friday, with 150mm expected to fall in the state's capital over the weekend. The rainfall is expected to be the most the city has copped since 2005.
With a string of sporting events and festivals across the state, people are warned to stay out of the danger and avoid using roads prone to flooding.
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South Australia is also set to be battered by the rainfall with warnings issued to drivers across the state as 70mm of rain due in the state's north.
There is an initial flood warning stretching right across the state, with Adelaide also facing downpours with a further 10mm predicted for Friday.
There are also flood warnings for Southern and Central Western New South Wales while Tasmania looks set to be cop the full force of the storm also as it sweeps right across the south of the nation.
Queensland's week of bad weather will continue, and despite a brief break from rain on Friday, the state will suffer from further storms over the weekend.
The bureau has issued an initial warning for potential flooding of the Bremer River as the southeast of the state, including Brisbane and Ipswich, anticipate further flooding.
Areas of Australia set to be worst affected by the floods
All areas of Victoria
Northern South Australia
Southern and Central Western New South Wales including the Murrumbidgee River and Murray River
Bremer River, Queensland
