It’s well into spring in Australia and yet three different Australian jurisdictions are seeing snow?
A decent amount of snow fell in Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales, and the ACT overnight and South Australia even copped a light dusting, Weatherzone reported.
Significantly, up to 35cm was reported in the NSW Snowy Mountains. Similar amounts of snow was seen in the Victorian Alps and the mountains surrounding Australia’s capital.
On Wednesday morning, people around Orange woke up to snow and on Tuesday, it was snowing just 100km from Melbourne in Ballarat.
The considerable amount of snow has led Weatherzone to dub it ‘Snow-vember’ and while it’s not entirely unusual or unseasonal, this fall was “extremely unusual”.
“We wrote earlier this week about this front, and mentioned how Antarctic airmasses can sneak their way onto Tassie and southern mainland Australia in any month of the year,” Weatherzone said.
“But we also said that the strength of this particular late spring cold front is quite remarkable, and so it has proven, with snow falling in places at lowish altitudes well beyond the high country.”
Places like Orange can expect a bit of snow every year, once or twice, but for this time of year, it’s “extremely unusual”.
Some parts of the country saw the mercury dip below zero, with Thredbo Top Station in NSW getting down to a chilly -6.1°C.
While there was no snow in Sydney, it was the coldest night in November in 16 years. Tuesday also marked Melbourne’s coldest day in 16 years and night in five years.
Tweet from @weatherzone
Spring is coming
Snow might be nice in the winter, but it’s not what most Australians want for spring.
Luckily, Weatherzone is anticipating some warmer weather and a “spell” of fine weather should be seen in the next week, for most of Australia.
The parts of the country impacted by the unseasonably cold weather should get some relief when the winds head up north.
Melbourne and Adelaide in particular can look forward to some lovely weather early next week, with tops in the mid-to-high 20s in Melbourne, while temps should reach the low 30s in Adelaide for the first time this spring,” Weatherzone said.
“That’ll make a nice change from yesterday, where temps were in single digits in the mid-afternoon in both cities as the heaviest showers passed through.”
While Melbourne and Adelaide enjoy the heat, the Bureau of Meteorology warns much of the east coast will still be dealing with above-median rainfall over the next two weeks.
Sydney should expect rain from Thursday, right through until next Tuesday, the Bureau forecasts.
Search continues for missing men in NSW floods
The search continues for two men missing in NSW floodwaters, evacuations are again at play in a series of communities in the state’s south and yet more rain is on the way.
The pair are thought to have been riding in the back of a utility swept off the road while being driven across a flooded causeway near the South West Slopes town of Boorowa on Monday night.
Police say two others in the cab were able to free themselves and get to safety.
Further west where Muttama Creek divides the Riverina centre of Cootamundra, residents have been directed to emergency accommodation at the local showground, with dangerous flash flooding a concern.
Local member and NSW Emergency Services Minister Steph Cooke told the ABC the order was for 10 streets and about 100 homes.
The Murrumbidgee River at nearby Gundagai exceeded major flood levels (8.5m) on Tuesday afternoon, rising more than 2.5m in 24 hours.
The Bureau of Meteorology warns it could be the area’s worst flood since 1989.
Evacuations have been ordered and a series of road and bridge closures are also likely.
Downstream at Adelong, the main street is under water and residents in adjoining streets have been ordered to leave.
-with AAP
