A 33-year-old Wandin North man has died after the car he was driving was hit by a 100-metre tree on Melbourne’s outskirts on Friday.

Police confirmed the man, who was driving a maroon Holden Commodore, was struck by the tree on the Warburton Highway about 11am, blocking traffic in both directions.

The Country Fire Authority said high winds of up to 110km/h lashed parts of Victoria overnight, sparking a string of car smashes.

Police said the exact circumstances surrounding the Lilydale collision are yet to be determined.

Numerous powerlines were torn down.

A man has died after hitting a tree that had fallen across the Warburton Hwy in Lilydale. A child seat has been found in the wreck but thankfully no children were involved in the smash. One lane of the highway is about to re-open. @3AW693 pic.twitter.com/yQdyoHAk4m

— Pat Mitchell (@patty_mitchell) August 10, 2018

The Bureau of Meteorology had issued a severe weather warning for most of the state on Thursday night, with gusts peaking at 111km/h at Mt William in the state’s west.

“Howling winds across Victoria ahead of a cold front FRIDAY.”

🐺Howling winds across #Victoria ahead of a cold front FRIDAY. DAMAGING winds developing from west TONIGHT, DESTRUCTIVE winds expected for Alpine Victoria FRIDAY. Increased risk of raised dust across northern Victoria FRIDAY. Rain developing late FRIDAY https://t.co/2hnJn1yDF3

— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) August 9, 2018

Winds at Melbourne Airport reached 87km/h by mid-morning.

Senior forecaster Steven McGibbony told reporters on Friday the winds in Melbourne are expected to ease from the late afternoon.