WILD winds overnight Sunday brought down trees and limbs, ripped tiles from roofs, snapped aerials and clotheslines, overturned bins and outdoor furniture and kept householders and pets awake.
Winds howled through most of the night and into Monday, gusting to 120kmh at Hotham, 104kmh at Wilson’s Promontory and 87kmh at East Sale Airport.
While winds gusted from the north, northwest and north-north-west, temperatures remained high overnight, with 30.9 degrees Celsius recorded at East Sale at 6.37am Monday morning. Yarram Airport recorded 29.9 degrees at 6.22am.
Allister Morris of Winnindoo reported his machinery shed roof was ripped off and Aaron Ridding of Riverslea found himself facing a whole new ‘isolating at home’ challenge when fallen limbs completely blocked his driveway.
One reader reported her guinea pig cage flew to the other side of the yard with them in it, leaving the animals stressed and the cage broken.
The wild weather also caused power interruptions, with AusNet Services reporting almost 26,000 customers off supply at 9.21am on Monday.
Power was out in Newry, Coongulla, Maffra West Upper, Heyfield, Tinamba, Tinamba West, Seaton, Boisdale, Maffra, Glenmaggie, Rosedale, Cowwarr, Winnindoo, Toongabbie, Denison and Nambrok.
A gale warning had been issued for the central and east Gippsland coasts, and a strong wind warning for the central Gippsland coast.
The SES was kept busy with call-outs, and advised people to secure loose items such as outdoor settings, umbrellas and trampolines and move vehicles under cover or away from trees and stay indoors, away from windows.
It recommended people not travel if possible and avoid hazards, such as fallen trees and powerlines.
People can monitor weather warnings, forecasts and river levels at the Bureau of Meteorology website, and warnings through VicEmergency.
