The Bureau of Meteorology has a severe weather warning current for heavy rain of over 250mm between Friday, December 1 and Sunday, December 3 across Victoria. Widespread flooding is likely from Friday onwards.
Currently (9:30pm) rainfall is approaching (view radar) from the west of Victoria and is currently 100km east of Melbourne approaching Ballarat.
Kinglake Ranges News will provide live weather information throughout the event here. In the event of a power failure or internet outage data will be continued to provided via the amateur radio packet network at findu.com and aprs.fi.
Also remember that most weather apps for Android and iphone use data from the nearest Bureau of Meteorology station and the weather data may not be local.
All weather apps except Weather Underground (click here for app download) aren’t that accurate, for example all other apps use data from Coldstream, Watsonia or Kilmore Gap for Kinglake!
Only the Weather Underground app provides data from the closest weather station possible and is the system used in the USA for hurricane warnings by their Bureau eqiuvelant.
VicRoads reminds all road users of the importance of taking extreme care in difficult driving conditions.
If the predicted weather event occurs as described by the Bureau of Meteorology, some roads will close with areas of the state could cut off.
Only travel if it is absolutely essential. Avoid using the road network.
Consider your needs now, stock up on essentials before the bad weather arrives.
If you must drive there are steps to improve road safety:
· Don’t walk, ride or drive through flood water. You wouldn’t drive through flames, so don’t drive through floods.
· Cars can float in as little as 15cm of water – that’s water the depth of an average pen. Watch the video here http://15tofloat.com.au/
· If the rain is too heavy for your wipers to cope, the best course of action is to pull over and wait until visibility improves.
· Make sure your car is safe and in a roadworthy condition – in particular, check tyres, windscreen wipers and brake lights.
· Slow down and leave a greater distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front.
· Turn your headlights on.
· Be alert for other road users who may be difficult to see, such as motorcyclists, cyclists and pedestrians.
If you see any problems on our roads, please report them to the VicRoads Traffic Management Centre on 13 11 70 (open 24/7). In an emergency call Triple Zero (000).
For the latest information visit traffic.vicroads.vic.gov.au, download the VicTraffic app, follow @VicTraffic on Twitter or check the VicTraffic Facebook page.
The State Emergency Service (SES) advises:
- Don’t walk, ride or drive through flood water;
- Keep clear of creeks and storm drains;
- Be aware that in fire affected areas, rainfall run-off into waterways may contain debris such as ash, soil, trees and rocks;
- Be alert that in areas recently affected by fires, heavy rainfall increases the potential for landslides and debris across roads.
Residents of Murrindindi Shire should tune to ABC Radio Melbourne (774kHz AM) or ABC Radio Goulburn-Murray (97.7FM) or Upper Goulburn FM (UGFM) on 106.9FM (Alexandra/Eildon), 94.5FM (Kinglake), 88.9FM (Yea/Highlands), 98.5FM (Marysville) and 98.9FM (Flowerdale) for flood warnings, storm warnings and emergency information.
Those with emergency service scanners can also tune to Victoria Police Kinglake, Yea, Alexandra, Shepparton, Wangaratta and Wodonga on 164.000MHz NFM.
Kinglake (CFA Region 12 Goulburn-Murray) on 161.01250MHz NFM, (Region 22 Shepparton to NSW border) on 161.1500 and (Region 23 Wangaratta) on 161.0500MHz NFM.
VicRoads on 462.7500MHz and 467.0750MHz NFM.
Kinglake Ranges News will monitor all emergency services two-way radio communications from the VK3HAG radio studio during this severe weather event and provide updates as required or when new information becomes available.
