THE wintry weather will continue this week, after the Wimmera experienced strong wind, cold temperatures and the first taste of snow for the year.
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Wind gusts reached 120kmh on Mt William on Tuesday morning.
Snow fell on Mt William, the highest peak in the Grampians, on Monday night.
There were also wind gusts of 74kmh at Nhill, 72kmh in Horsham and 70kmh at Longerenong.
Bureau of Metereology senior forecaster Terry Ryan said more severe weather warnings for the Wimmera were possible for Friday and Saturday as the wind picked up again.
“There’s another front approaching on Friday and showers developing from the west of the state on Friday,” he said.
“When the change goes through on Saturday afternoon through the west there will be further showers on Saturday and strong wind again.”
Mr Ryan said there would be showers in the Wimmera on Wednesday, particularly in the southern part of the region.
He said westerly wind would not be as strong but the cold weather would remain.
Between 10 and 15 millimetres of rain is forecast for the next seven days.
The State Emergency Service received 98 calls for help in the Grampians region during Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Damage to buildings comprised 35 of the calls, there were 33 calls for fallen trees that were causing a traffic hazard and there were 26 calls about other fallen trees.
There were 15 calls to the Ararat SES unit – the most in the Wimmera.
Mr Ryan said wintry conditions were likely to remain through the weekend.
“These patterns of front after front of cold and windy weather usually last a week or two and then a large high pressure system will follow,” he said.
Mr Ryan said the onset of winter had been slightly delayed after warm temperatures last month and into the beginning of June.
“We did have above-average temperatures for winter but this will set us a back a bit,” he said.
“We’re still staying slightly above average in temperature for winter at the moment.”
He said rainfall and temperatures for the rest of winter would be about average.
Mr Ryan said blizzard conditions over the Victorian Alps would create good skiing conditions for Wimmera residents planning to take a trip to the snow during the school holidays.