Downpours soak Melbourne

UPDATE 10.55am: HEAVY rainfall has left a trail of sodden suburbs across Melbourne.

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The State Emergency Service received 120 calls for help across metropolitan Melbourne from 6pm yesterday to 9am today, as rainfall averaged between 20mm to 30mm in the suburbs.

Weather bureau duty forecaster Dean Sgarbossa said rainfall was heaviest on Melbourne’s outer-northern fringe.

Clarkefield, just north of Sunbury, recorded the highest rainfall of 74mm in the 24 hours to 9am.

Konagederra, between Gisborne and Whittlesea, received 47mm of rain.

In metropolitan Melbourne, St Albans had the highest rainfall at 28mm.

>> MAP: Find out how much rain fell in your area (external link to Bureau of Meteorology)

SES spokeswoman Dimity York said Castlemaine and Ballarat had been hardest hit by heavy downpours in Victoria, each receiving more than 100 calls for help.

“The main cause of call-outs has been for flash-flooding and building damage relating to heavy downpours causing damage to roofs and leaking of seals into homes,” Ms York said.

Ms York said damage had been widespread across metropolitan Melbourne.

“There have been a few call-outs from the peninsula,” she said. “Hastings through to Sorrento, Craigieburn, Oakleigh, Narre Warren and Broadmeadows have also experienced quite a few call-outs.”

Croydon SES spokeswoman Mel Glover said her unit had been called to 22 jobs. She said the main issue was that people had not cleared their gutters, which led to water seeping into ceilings and out through light fittings.

Nunawading SES also reminded people to clear their gutters after being called to several jobs where flooding had caused building damage.

Mr Sgarbossa said the rain band that produced the heavy downpours was moving gradually to the north-east of the state, but Melbourne’s weather would stay miserable today.

“In the Melbourne area we will see a somewhat cooler southerly flow and continuation of isolated showers and drizzle,” he said.

“It will be a gloomy day with quite low cloud and drizzle and showers.”

Melbourne’s expected maximum temperature is 22C.