It’s this cloudband that’s brought the current wave of extreme weather to that part of the country.
The SES has already responded to 438 calls for help in Victoria in the 24 hours until 6.30am today, with the worst of the weather forecast for the state still yet to come.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds and heavy rainfall is in place for most of the state.
The most significant rainfall is expected to hit Melbourne from the late afternoon into the evening, with 40mm of rain expected in the western suburbs and up to 60mm in the north.
The Department of Transport has described driving conditions as “extremely hazardous”, urging drivers to defer non-essential travel.
Already there is water over major roads, including the Melba, Hume, Calder and Maroondah Highways.
The V-Line train on the Albury Line has also been suspended because of the weather.
Residents of Rochester, 180km north of Melbourne, have been told waters could potentially rise to 115m above sea level, affecting hundreds of homes.
Thousands of sandbags have been filled and residents have been urged to evacuate after they have done their best to prepare their homes and businesses for a flood.
Up to 80mm of rain is expected in the north and west of Victoria today, with isolated totals of 120mm or higher.
Melbourne is expected to cop the brunt of the rain this afternoon, as authorities warn of flash flooding in the city into the evening.
There is also an increased risk of landslides affecting roads.
Severe weather warnings for rain and wind remain in place across the entire state, with gusts overnight reaching 109km/hr at Mount Hotham.
The SES has received over 200 calls for help in the last 24 hours, mostly for minor flooding.
Yesterday, about 100 people were evacuated from Falls Creek due to a slow-moving landslide cutting off the access road.
Tasmania too is expecting an inundation, with up to 300mm of rain to fall in places just today.
Hundreds of calls for help as heavy rain moves through NSW
New South Wales is also in the firing line with rivers still swollen from recent rain.
A woman and her daughter had to be rescued from floodwaters at Forbes in the state’s Central West.
