Snow could fall this week in every Australian state and territory except the Northern Territory, according to Weatherzone. After a weekend of heavy snow in the alpine regions of New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory, a cold air mass has settled over Australia’s south-east. On Thursday, light snow showers were occurring above 1,000 metres.
Snow fell on Western Australia’s 1,099-metre-tall Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Ranges overnight on Sunday. The Flinders region of South Australia could be next, with light snow showers predicted on Thursday and Friday for areas above 1,100 metres. Snow showers in southern Queensland were forecast on Saturday in zones higher than 1,200 metres in the ranges near the New South Wales border.
Bureau of Meteorology meteorologist Angus Hines said cold temperatures combined with rain across the east coast had produced conditions for snow in high elevation areas in NSW. On Wednesday, Sydney Olympic Park recorded a maximum of 12.1C – the station’s lowest maximum temperature this July. On Thursday, Sydney’s maximum rose to between 15C and 16C, but Hines noted the wind chill made it feel colder.
Hines said a similar weather pattern was likely to continue for NSW into the weekend, with more snow possible on Thursday and Friday across the north-eastern ranges of Victoria and NSW, the Snowy Mountains, the southern and central tablelands, the Barrington Tops, the Hunter region and northern NSW. There was also a chance of snow in Queensland this weekend in the Stanthorpe area on the Granite Belt.
Parts of NSW, particularly the mid north coast and Hunter regions, were braced for heavy rain over the next 24 hours. A severe weather warning, including for floods, could be issued between Sydney and Port Macquarie. Up to 61mm of rain had fallen on Sydney, the Illawarra and Hunter coasts in the past 24 hours. Hines said the rain was not enough to cause major flooding, but enough to cause puddles and slow traffic.
