Hailstones the size of cricket balls, flash-flooding, planes diverted and flights postponed, power lost from homes, major transport delays and a tornado to top things off - that was Christmas Day in Melbourne.

Much of Victoria copped the extremes - from steamy, sultry weather for Christmas lunch to severe storms that left many residents struggling to compare them with anything in memory.

Hail in Sunshine. Credit:Viki Lascaris

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The volunteers who staff the State Emergency Service had little time to digest their lunch when the calls for help started arriving.