By 9.30am, Ballarat has already received 6.8mm of rain this morning.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather alert for most of Victoria with heavy rain, flash flooding and damaging winds set to lash the state.

Senior forecaster Dean Stewart said a large rain band is set to hit.

"Thunderstorms with heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding are possible early Wednesday morning, with the highest chance in the southern Mallee and Wimmera," he said.

"Damaging winds averaging 60 to 70 km/h with peak gusts of around 100 km/h are possible mainly in elevated areas in the west of the state from early Wednesday morning.

""There will be wind gusts increasing to 100-110 km/h, again mainly in elevated areas in central Victoria and up to 120 km/h about the northeast alps during Wednesday morning, but there is lesser chance of wind gusts to 100 km/h in areas lower than 1200m.

"Conditions should begin to clear for most of the state from the afternoon and evening."

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