Severe weather and thunderstorms about to hit southeastern Australia

A cold front is about to cause damaging winds, showers and thunderstorms in parts of Victoria, NSW and the ACT.

The satellite images below show a cold front and associated low pressure system moving over the Great Australian Bight on Wednesday morning.

This system will continue to move towards the east over the next 48 hours, crossing southeastern Australia between Wednesday evening and Friday morning.

One of the main threats with this system will be the wind, with damaging gusts likely in several states. North to northwesterly winds will start to increase ahead of the approaching front, before blustery west to southwesterly winds sweep through with and behind the front.

Damaging winds gusts are likely to develop in elevated parts of Victoria from late Wednesday into Thursday, and in southern NSW and the ACT on Thursday. Some exposed areas in Tasmania may also see gusts above 90 km/h on Thursday or Friday.

Showers will also spread over parts of SA, Vic, Tas, the ACT and southern NSW between Wednesday night and Friday morning. Some of these showers will be accompanied by thunderstorms, most likely in Vic and southern and central NSW. Most storms from this system will not be severe, although a few severe cells are possible in Vic and inland NSW, with damaging winds the main threat.

Be sure to check the latest warnings and forecasts in your area to stay up to date with the most accurate information over the next few days.