Strong wind gusts to batter Victoria

Victorians are being warned to hold on to their hats as strong winds batter the state.

A severe weather warning has been issued for central and southwest Victoria, with wind gusts of up to 90km/h expected in the mountains.

"We have observed gusts of 96km/h on Mt William in the Grampians this morning and there is a chance around Ballarat and Daylesford as well," a Bureau of Meteorology spokesman told AAP.

Melbourne metro can expect gusts of up to 70km/h, which have been recorded near the airport, and there is a chance of up to 90km/h winds in some metro areas throughout the day.

A cold front will hit western Victoria later on Tuesday before crossing the rest of the state on Wednesday.