A period of warm weather throughout south-eastern Australia is set to come to an abrupt end this week. Regions including Tasmania, Victoria, and southern New South Wales will experience a significant drop in temperatures starting Thursday, largely due to a surge of cold winds coming from the Southern Ocean, according to weather specialists at Weatherzone.
The cold front will commence its approach on Wednesday, and within 24 hours, expect snowfall in areas of the NSW Snowy Mountains, Victorian Alps, and Tasmanian Highlands. Forecasts suggest that snow could fall as low as 800 metres in some regions.
A second wave of frigid weather will arrive early Friday, prolonging the chill and strong winds throughout the day, while snowfall will predominantly occur at higher elevations. While this influx of wintery conditions may excite some skiers and snowboarders, they should temper their expectations as the snow accumulation is not expected to result in a robust start for the winter sports season.
Weatherzone predicts snow totals of around 10-20 cm at major ski resorts in Victoria and New South Wales, alongside 3-8 cm on the Tasmanian Central Plateau and the higher peaks in south-west Victoria. This quantity of snow should provide enough cover for some outdoor winter fun, such as snowball fights and tobogganing.
Residents of south-eastern capital cities should prepare for chilly conditions by Thursday, with Canberra expected to reach a maximum of just 8 degrees Celsius, Hobart 11 degrees, and Melbourne 12 degrees. Sydney will remain relatively mild at 19 degrees, but anyone venturing outdoors should bundle up, as the strong, cold winds will exacerbate the dominating chill.
Fortunately, this wintry spell is anticipated to be short-lived, with seasonal average temperatures projected to return by the end of the weekend.