A polar blast has swept across south-eastern Australia, bringing historic snowfall to low-lying areas and delighting ski resorts. The Bureau of Meteorology reported snow falling at altitudes as low as 400 metres in Victoria, with temperatures dropping 2°C to 8°C below average across Victoria, Tasmania, southern New South Wales, the ACT and parts of South Australia.
Resorts including Mt Buller, Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Thredbo and Selwyn have capitalised on the cold snap, using snow guns to supplement natural snowfall. A Mt Buller spokesperson noted that Thursday was the first day temperatures fell to -5°C, allowing the snow guns to produce effective results. 'We were wearing shorts a week ago... then it's proper winter this week,' they said.
While the south-east shivers, other parts of Australia enjoy milder conditions. Sydney will see lows of 9°C and highs of 21°C on Friday, while Melbourne expects a low of 10°C and a high of 16°C. Inland Queensland and much of the Northern Territory will experience temperatures in the mid-to-upper 20s.
Bureau meteorologist Angus Hines said the cold burst is typical for the season, as days shorten and nights lengthen. 'It really is the weather in the south-east which is dominating the headlines,' he added.
