Australians shiver as icy blasts sweep across country with high winds, hail and snow storming southeast
- Southeast Aus has a cold front
- Harmful wind, rain, hail and snow forecast
Australians living in the south-east of the country will be shivering for the rest of the week as an ‘icy air mass’ with freezing temperatures, high winds, hail and a heap of snow will hit.
A cold front will cross the Great Australian Bight on Wednesday and reach parts of Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and the ACT on Thursday and Friday.
Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino said temperatures are expected to be up to 6°C lower than average for parts of those states on Friday.
Aussies face a chilly week with below average temperatures forecast for the south east of the country (pictured are Sydney residents)
Australians living in the south-east of the country will be shivering for the rest of the week as an ‘icy air mass’ with freezing temperatures, high winds, hail and a heap of snow will come down
“This cold snap will be exacerbated by wind chill, which will make it feel more like 10 degrees below average in some places,” he said.
Damaging wind gusts will also ravage parts of Tasmania, Victoria, NSW and the ACT from Wednesday evening into Thursday.
The cold weather will bring good news to skiers with snow forecasts falling at around 600m above sea level in Tasmania, 800m in Victoria and 1000m in southern and central NSW and the ACT.
Friday morning offers the best chance of snow for the Northern Highlands of NSW.
The residents of Melburn endured a cold spell last week where temperatures did not rise above 15°C between Tuesday and Sunday – something not seen since May 1981.
“A string of cold days lasting nearly a week is definitely unusual and can be attributed to a series of Southern Ocean cold fronts that have swept across Victoria,” said Weatherzone’s Anthony Sharwood.
Melbourne sees a sunny Wednesday with highs of 17C.
However, those living in the Victorian capital can expect a wet end to the week with rain forecast for Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
In Sydney, residents can look forward to a bright and sunny week ahead.
A cold front moves across the Australian Bight on Wednesday before hitting parts of Victoria, NSW, Tasmania and the ACT on Thursday and Friday
Snow is also expected this week in the Alps in NSW and Victoria
On Wednesday it will be a maximum of 20°C and Thursday 22°C.
Those living further north in Brisbane will be lucky enough to escape the cold with a maximum of 24°C on Wednesday and Thursday, with the mercury rising to 25°C on Friday.
In Adelaide, Wednesday will bring a dry and relatively warm day, but Thursday will see the weather turn with heavy rain and a high of just 17C.
Hobart will also see some rain on Thursday as temperatures will hover around the mid-teens.
Residents of the country’s capital are in for a cold week with temperatures reaching -3C in Canberra on Saturday.
Meanwhile, residents of Perth on the other side of the country can expect a dry and sunny week with temperatures peaking at 19C on Wednesday and Thursday.
Darwin is in the dry season and the forecast looks warm and sunny with a top of 31C on Wednesday.