Looking out over Port Phillip Bay, Chelsea on Sunday. Credit:Jennifer Weinstein Mentone man Justin Zattelman​ witnessed a small tornado touch down around East Bentleigh. He said it was "the width of a house and it brought some trees down with it". SES state duty officer Andrew Murton said several calls were received after the tornado damaged buildings. "Between 5.30 and 7pm last night we had heavy rain in the south-eastern suburbs and certainly around the Bentleigh, Bentleigh East area, there was some minor damage," he said. "We received about five calls of tiles being removed from roofs. They were just those freak-of-nature calls, between 20 and 30 jobs in that area, for building damage, and a bit of flooding."

A tornado left behind a trail of damage in Bentleigh East on Sunday. Credit:Justin Zattelman He said across Victoria there were 90 requests for assistance on Sunday as "the weather caused a bit of work in some parts of the state". Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Stewart said the Bureau had received several reports of the tornado. He said tornados formed when cold air combined with warm sea temperatures. Summer in Mount Hotham. Credit:Twitter/@_hotham "When you get very cold air coming up over Port Phillip Bay, as we had yesterday when we had that front come through, you can actually get what's called water spouts and potentially tornados," he said.

"Very cold air, above relatively warm water, creates a lot of instability and that goes into the development of tornados." Melbourne's south eastern suburbs were battered by hail. Credit:Facebook@/victorianstormchasers Mr Stewart said the freak cold front dropped temperatures so low that were was snow at Mount Hotham, Mount Buller and Falls Creek. "It's still 0 degrees at Mount Buller, and -1 degrees at Mount Hotham. There is a chance (of more snow) in the next couple of hours, but mainly at the Mount Buller area."

Ferny Creek has been pelted with 48 millimetres of rain since 9am Sunday, followed by 43mm in Reservoir and 40mm in Narre Warren. The Bureau has warned residents to take care if walking near creeks, as the heavy showers have caused the water levels to rise. Melbourne received a relatively light 4mm of rain, but some parts received bucket loads of hail.

"Throughout the south eastern suburbs to outer south eastern suburbs saw the highest totals," Mr Stewart said. Loading "The showers will taper off today, gradually becoming less frequent and they'll completely clear off tonight in those suburban areas. "There will be fine and sunny conditions tomorrow with a top of 23, and then back to summer on Wednesday with a top of 32."