You may need to update your browser to view the Severe weather pages.

Severe Weather Summary - Wind Event 3 August 2009

Prepared 4 August 2009

Event Summary

On the night of Sunday 2nd and morning of Monday 3rd August (See Figure 1) a cold front moved through Victoria. Generally strong winds were experienced with the approach of the front however severe wind gusts were experienced with its passage near the coast and in elevated parts of the state. A severe thunderstorm squall line (See Figure 2) developed along the front and moved across the central district between about midnight and 3 am 3rd August. The control tower of the Chelsea Yacht Club was blown over with debris damaging several nearby houses, and trees were felled in the bay side suburb of Chelsea associated with the passage of a thunderstorm at 1:30 am.


Figure 1: MSL Analysis 4am August 3 2009


There were widespread gusts around 90 km/h and isolated gusts above 100 km/h, including:

  • 120 km/h at Point Wilson, 12.55am
  • 109 km/h at Fawkner Beacon, 1.21am
  • 107 km/h at South Channel Island, 1.01am
  • 96km/h at Dartmoor, 10.06pm
  • 94 km/h at Saint Kilda 1.27am and East Sale, 3.11am

The SES responded to over 200 calls associated with the event the majority of which were in their central zone.



Figure 2: 128 km Melbourne radar image captured at 1:30 am local time showing the line of thunderstorms passing through the Melbourne area.