Melbourne · River catchment
Yarra River flood warnings and rain forecast
The Yarra rises in the Yarra Ranges and runs about 242 km west through the Yarra Valley and Melbourne to Hobsons Bay. Flood watches for the Yarra are usually issued by reach, so the area named on a warning tells you which part of the river it covers.
Yarra River flood watches and warnings
VicEmergency lists 1 Advice-level flood watch or warning for the Yarra River and its creeks, as of . A Bureau of Meteorology weather warning for heavy rain or flash flooding also covers this area.
| Level | Warning or incident | Area | Updated | Next update |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advice | Flood Watch | Yarra River upstream of Warrandyte | ||
| BOM warning | Severe Weather Warning for Heavy Rainfall | Central, East Gippsland, South West and West and South Gippsland | – |
In a life-threatening emergency call 000. For flood or storm help call the VicSES on 132 500. Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater. VicEmergency Hotline: 1800 226 226.
Source: VicEmergency public data feed, © State of Victoria, Australia, used under CC BY 3.0 AU (data notice). Last update received by Atmosphr ; feed last updated . Checked every 10 minutes. Bureau of Meteorology warnings are shown by title only and link to the Bureau. Atmosphr is not an emergency service: always check the linked official page before acting.
Rain outlook across the Yarra catchment
Model rain totals at points along the Yarra River, for the past 24 hours and the next three days.
| Place | Past 24 h (model) | Next 24 h | Next 72 h | Highest hourly chance, 72 h |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Warburton (upper Yarra) | 30 mm | 43 mm | 47 mm | 96% |
| Yarra Glen (middle Yarra) | 29 mm | 49 mm | 51 mm | 91% |
| Warrandyte (lower Yarra) | 24 mm | 28 mm | 30 mm | 91% |
Model forecast Open-Meteo best match via Open-Meteo (Weather data by Open-Meteo, Open-Meteo API terms (CC BY 4.0)), retrieved and refreshed hourly. "Past 24 h" is the model's estimate, not a rain gauge reading. Model rain is a guide to the size of an event, not a flood forecast: official flood warnings come from the Bureau of Meteorology and VicSES.
About the Yarra River
- Length about 242 km, with a basin of about 5,464 km².
- Rises in the Yarra Ranges National Park and passes Warburton, Yarra Glen, Warrandyte, Heidelberg, Templestowe and Richmond before reaching Port Phillip at Hobsons Bay.
- Rain on the ranges takes time to travel down the valley, so flood levels near Warrandyte and through the suburbs can peak well after the heaviest rain upstream.
- Creeks that join it in the suburbs, such as Diamond Creek, Mullum Mullum Creek, Koonung Creek and Merri Creek, can flood quickly after short, intense storms.
Past floods
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1891 | The "Great Flood", when the Yarra was reported to have spread to around 305 metres wide. |
| Feb 1972 | Flash flooding in the city centre, when Elizabeth Street ran as a torrent after a storm overwhelmed the drains. |
Official information
- Melbourne Water: flooding and drainage
- BOM: Victorian river heights and flood warnings
- VicEmergency: warnings and incidents map
- VicSES flood and storm help: 132 500. Emergency: 000.
What to do in a flood
- Follow the advice on the official VicEmergency warning for your area, and leave early if you are told to.
- Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater. It is often deeper and faster than it looks and can hide washed-out roads.
- Keep children and pets away from drains, creeks and stormwater channels.
- For flood or storm help call the VicSES on 132 500. In a life-threatening emergency call 000.
- Prepare with the VicSES flood guides, and check BOM river heights for gauges near you.
Sources
Warnings from the VicEmergency public data feed, © State of Victoria, Australia, under the EMV emergency data notice (CC BY 3.0 AU), listed by name and time with links to the official warning. River facts: Yarra River (Wikipedia).
Other Melbourne catchments: Dandenong Creek · Maribyrnong River.