Melbourne weather: Regional Victoria bracing for heavy rain, flash flooding

Flooded paddocks along the Drysdale Creek,
 north of Warrnambool, earlier this month.

The once in 50-years storm that lashed South Australia's coastline is expected to skip Melbourne, but could batter already saturated parts of regional Victoria.

Up to 80 millimetres of rain could fall within six hours over parts of northern and western Victoria on Wednesday night, with more expected on Thursday, raising fears of flash flooding.

Damaging winds up to 110km/h could also lash regional areas, as the complex low-pressure system crosses into Victoria's north-west overnight.

The fierce weather system that gripped South Australia on Wednesday afternoon, cut power to the entire state.

Read the Melbourne Age story - “Melbourne weather: Regional Victoria bracing for heavy rain, flash flooding.”