People in the east and south-east are in for a more hospitable day today, but they should not get used to the milder winter conditions, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Winter arrived with June in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, with already chilly days being pushed closer to freezing thanks to powerful winds this week.
The Bureau of Meteorology said Thursday and Friday would be less extreme in terms of wind, rain, snow and overall temperatures, but the respite would not last long.
"Conditions will clear quite quickly to Thursday as a high-pressure system moves over eastern Australia but it will be quite short-lived," BOM meteorologist Jonathan How said.
"[There will be] more showers along the east coast on Friday and Saturday, and in the south-east we'll see a series of cold fronts coming through — the first one due on Saturday and a stronger one on Sunday."
The BOM said maximum temperatures would stay below average well into next week, although this week's extreme winds are not expected to return, meaning the 'feels like' temperature will not get quite so low.
Mr How said Melbourne was on day three of a run of 10 straight days with maximum temperatures below 10 degrees Celsius, which has not happened at this time of year since 1998.
"There's quite an unseasonal run of cold days for Melbourne," he said.
Conditions are not expected to be quite as extreme for Victoria into Friday, but two cold fronts will bring chilly temperatures on Saturday and Sunday.
The story is similar for NSW, while maximum temperatures in Queensland are two to five degrees below average for this time of year.
"On Friday, showers will develop across western parts of Queensland, they'll push across the coast in the afternoon and evening with the heaviest falls about the southern inland."
The weekend will add rain back into the mix for the eastern states, with showers developing in western Queensland, western NSW and northern Victoria on Friday, and reaching the east coast from Friday evening.
"This is ahead of another cold front that will approach the SA coast during Friday, moving through Tasmania and western Victoria during Friday evening and into Saturday morning," the BOM said.
"Most shower activity will be confined to the coast before this front weakens over Gippsland and south-east NSW on Saturday. Strong winds are not expected with this system, although snow is possible above 1,300 metres.
"A follow-up stronger cold front and low-pressure system will approach SA, Victoria and southern NSW on Saturday night and into Sunday, bringing another burst of cold showers, cold air and low-level snow to 800-900m and strong westerly winds."
After 40 centimetres of snow fell on Tuesday and Wednesday, Perisher Ski Resort in NSW's Snowy Mountains announced it would open early, welcoming guests from Saturday.
Thredbo and Mt Hotham, both of which will open a week later on June 11, had similar falls, with the BOM saying the strong winds created "blizzard conditions".
NSW State Emergency Service assistant commissioner Dean Storey on Wednesday told residents to be on high alert with severe weather warnings in place for parts of NSW, the ACT and Victoria.
"We're just urging the community to be vigilant," he said.
"A lot of trees down, be cautious if out on the roads in those blustery conditions."
