Severe Weather Warning Issued for Damaging Winds in East Gippsland and North East Victoria

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Severe Weather Warning for Damaging Winds (IDV21037). This warning is currently in effect for parts of the eastern ranges as a cold front crosses the state.

Affected Areas

The warning covers parts of the following forecast districts:

• East Gippsland
• North East
• West and South Gippsland

Specific locations that may be impacted include Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw, Mt Hotham, and Mt Buller. Recent observations have already recorded wind gusts of 111 km/h at Mount Hotham and 106 km/h at Mount Buller Airport.

What You Should Do

The State Emergency Service (SES) advises residents in the affected areas to take the following precautions:

• Secure Loose Items: Check that outdoor settings, umbrellas, and trampolines are safely secured. Move vehicles under cover or away from trees.
• Stay Indoors: Remain inside and away from windows. If you are outdoors, move to a safe indoor location immediately.
• Travel Safety: Avoid travel if possible. If driving conditions become dangerous, safely pull over away from trees, drains, and low-lying areas.
• Hazard Awareness: Stay away from fallen powerlines and assume they are live. Be aware that trees may be unstable due to recent heat, fire, or storms.
• Monitor Conditions: Keep track of updates via the VicEmergency website or app and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Expected Conditions

Strong northwesterly winds are averaging 50 to 60 km/h across the eastern ranges. Damaging wind gusts of approximately 90 km/h are occurring in these areas. For exposed elevated peaks, winds are likely to average 60 to 70 km/h with peak gusts reaching up to 110 km/h.

Timeline

The damaging winds are expected to continue through Wednesday afternoon and evening. Conditions are forecast to begin easing from the west during the evening of Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The next update is scheduled to be issued by 11:00 pm AEDT.