Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales are set to experience snowfall as a cold front and high-pressure system bring wintry conditions to southern Australia. The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts the first snow of the year for several areas, with temperatures plunging across the region.
Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore said Victoria and Tasmania will bear the brunt of the cold front, bringing hail, thunder and strong winds. Snowfalls are possible at altitudes as low as 500m in Tasmania and 700m in Victoria. A high-pressure system forming in the Great Australian Bight will extend cooler weather to millions, with cool air even reaching northern Australia.
In Victoria, Melbourne's maximum temperature is forecast to be 14C on Thursday, with wind chill making it feel much colder. Lake Mountain, Mt Baw Baw and Mt Macedon may all see snow. Tasmania will be showery and cold, with snow possible on kunanyi/Mt Wellington at around halfway down to city level. The Snowy Mountains in NSW could see snow down to 1,000m, with flurries possible in the Central Ranges.
Sydney will experience a 'burst of winter' on Thursday with a cold, windy maximum of 19C. Blackheath in the Blue Mountains may receive a dusting of snow. Canberra will shiver through maximums of about 12C, with snow possible on Black Mountain and Mt Ainslie. This wintry blast follows an unseasonably warm April, with average temperatures 1.14C above the 1961-1990 average and rainfall 43% below average.
