Taking care in the weather
With heavy rains and flooding predicted in Victoria and south-eastern Australia, here a few things you can do to take care.
The BOM has issued a severe weather warning and emergency services have warned this may be the first time many have witnessed such a severe event.
The Bureau of Meteorology certainly isn't sugar coating it.
"Those thunderstorms will gradually all weld into a massive, great rain band, and that band will spread down across the state on Friday night and Saturday morning," forecaster Scott Williams told the ABC.
"This is a vast, intense, high-impact event for this state."
Be aware
There are flood warnings for all rivers across the state. In Melbourne, the Yarra, Maribyrnong, Barwon, Yarra and Bunyip rivers are all at major risk of flooding.
Parts of Melbourne’s CBD could also see flooding on Friday and Saturday.
In the city, Elizabeth Street and much of Southbank are at risk.
The BOM says closer to Melbourne, Mount Macedon, north-west of Melbourne, and surrounding areas could bear the brunt of the storms on Friday night.
Rainfall of around 100-200 mm is expected across most northern and central regions of Victoria in the coming days.
Other areas can expect between 30 and 100 mm. The highest totals are expected over the northeast ranges, where three day totals may exceed 250 mm.
The SES says if you have a camping trip planned it’s a good idea to think about cancelling it.
Don't walk or drive in flood waters
The premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews is urging people to take care.
"This is a very serious matter and one that will pose a very severe challenge to communities right across the state and will be a direct challenge to public safety." .
"Please, listen to those warnings, heed them and that is the best thing you can do in order to keep yourself and your family safe and what's more, to not put our emergency services in harm's way having to come to your aid,"
If you do have an emergency here are some contacts:
For emergency assistance call SES: 132 500
For life-threatening emergencies call 000
For emergency incidents and warnings: http://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond
For weather warnings: http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/warnings
