Snow has fallen close to the Queensland border as an arctic wind brings icy temperatures and heavy rain to the eastern states.
Snow was recorded overnight in Tenterfield, in northern New South Wales, just 25km from the Sunshine State border.
Light snow showers are expected in the Granite Belt region of Southern Queensland from Tuesday to Thursday.
Weatherzone explained that a cold air mass coming from the Antarctic was the cause of the sub-zero temperatures in the eastern states.
The cold air is accompanied by showers that can fall as snow at altitudes above 1,000 meters.
These cold conditions will bring cool days, frosty mornings and possible snow showers to parts of New South Wales, inland Queensland, Victoria and Tasmania.
Victoria is at extra risk of flooding after heavy rain fell in parts of the state, with an extreme weather warning issued for the north-east.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury said temperatures were lower than normal across central and eastern Australia.
Snow could even fall as far as Queensland from Tuesday as a cold Antarctic air mass crosses the border
Ms Bradbury said forecast highs would be “up to eight degrees below average” and Canberra would “struggle to reach double figures”.
‘[On Wednesday] “Our temperatures will drop significantly overnight across inland eastern and central Australia,” Ms Bradbury said.
Snow showers fell on Tuesday in Guyra, about 170km south of the Queensland-New South Wales border.
Meanwhile, the heaviest snowfall in New South Wales is expected to move from the southern ranges and the Alps to the central ranges on Tuesday morning.
Non-alpine waterfalls include approximately Crookwell, Taralga, Oberon, Orange, Lithgow and possibly the Blue Mountains.
On Tuesday evening the heaviest snow will again move to the Upper Hunter and Northern Tablelands, with the potential for Armidale, Guyra and Glen Innes.
A low pressure area in the Tasman Sea will bring warm air on Wednesday, causing less snow to fall in the Alps.
Extreme weather warnings have been issued for parts of Tasmania and Victoria this week, including damaging wind gusts and possible flooding from heavy rainfall.
Chief meteorologist Jonathon How said the southeastern regions of the country would bear the brunt of a low pressure area that would bring a “cold snap” across the southeast, with strong winds hitting the areas overnight.
Wind gusts of 115km/h have already been measured at Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, and gusts of over 100km/h have been recorded in parts of Victoria and the north-west coast of Tasmania.
Residents of the Illawarra in New South Wales experienced wind gusts of more than 80km/h, while the state’s south-east and regions near the Australian Capital Territory received totals of 20-40mm of rain overnight.
Weatherzone explained that the cold air mass coming from the Antarctic caused the sub-zero temperatures and was accompanied by enough moisture for occasional light showers that could fall as snow on high ground above about 1,000 metres.
Brisbane
The Sunshine State is in for a wintry spell early in the week, with highs reaching 65 degrees Fahrenheit and winds reaching 28 mph.
Minimum temperatures will remain just below 10 degrees Celsius for the rest of the week, but maximums will be around 20 degrees Celsius.
Sydney
Sydney residents can expect a cold but mostly sunny week, with maximum temperatures around 15 to 20 degrees Celsius from Tuesday through to the weekend.
A minimum temperature of 6 degrees Celsius is expected on Friday.
Showers are expected for Tuesday and Wednesday. On Tuesday 1 mm of rain is possible and on Wednesday 4 mm.
Heavy and powerful waves are expected on Wednesday, which could be dangerous, especially for people doing coastal activities such as rock fishing, swimming and surfing.
Canberra
Temperatures in the country’s capital will drop significantly over the coming week, with cloudy and cold conditions as the air is trapped in a low-pressure area.
Showers are expected on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, with the heaviest rainfall over the weekend, with up to 7mm of rain possible.
Minimum temperatures will drop to an icy -2C on Thursday and -3C on Friday.
Snowfall began at ski resorts on Sunday afternoon and increased on Monday as the Tasman Low approached eastern Bass Strait
Melbourne
Melbourne residents can expect a cold and wet week.
Heavy rainfall of up to 15mm is expected on Tuesday, turning into light showers from Wednesday through the weekend.
Maximum temperatures this week will hardly exceed 14 degrees Celsius, with minimums of only 6 degrees at the weekend.
Meanwhile, snow is expected in higher areas outside the Victorian Alps as a prolonged outbreak of freezing air arrives from Antarctica.
An extreme weather warning was issued for people in parts of the East Gippsland and North East Forecast Districts on Tuesday morning.
Damaging winds with an average speed of 60 to 70 km/h from the south, with gusts of up to around 90 km/h, will hit the Alpine regions in the northeast above 1,400 metres.
Possible locations affected include Falls Creek and Mt Hotham, with gusts of up to 93km/h recorded at the latter location around 8am.
A warning to be alert and take action has been issued for the Watts River in Victoria. Residents in Healesville are urged to move to higher ground as there is a risk of moderate flooding.
‘The River Watts at Healesville is at 3.11 metres, above the minor flood stage (2.80 metres) and is still rising,’ the warning said.
‘The expectation is that the water level will be around the average level (3.20 m) on Tuesday morning, July 16.’
Flood warnings also remain in place for the Dandenong Creek, Latrobe River, Yarra River, Bunyip River and parts of the Gippsland, Central, South West and North East forecast districts in Victoria.
Hobart
Tasmanians will have to shiver for another week from rain, strong winds and icy temperatures.
Temperatures in Hobart are expected to drop to 3 degrees Celsius on Friday and rise to just 11 degrees Celsius over the coming week.
Showers are forecast well into the weekend, with the wettest day being Tuesday, with 10mm of rain expected.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a flood warning for parts of the state’s North East, East Coast, Huon, Dewent and South East catchments.
Minor flood warnings have also been issued for the Clyde, St Pauls, Coal and Huon rivers.
Maximum temperatures were ‘up to eight degrees below average’ in much of central and southeastern Australia
Adelaide
Adelaide is set for a cold and wet week as a long-lasting icy airflow from Antarctica spreads across the southeast.
A high pressure area is expected to remain over the southern parts of the country for the next five days, prolonging the cold weather.
Maximum temperatures will be around 15 degrees Celsius, while minimum temperatures will fluctuate between 7 and 8 degrees Celsius during the week.
Rain is forecast for Adelaide from Tuesday through to the weekend, with the heaviest rainfall expected on Friday, with up to 15mm.
Perth
Sunny weather is expected on Tuesday, after which a cold front will move across the state, bringing heavy showers.
A maximum of 6mm of rain is expected on Wednesday, rising to 40mm on Thursday.
Rain will continue into the weekend, with a maximum of 3 mm of rain expected on Friday and Saturday, and 7 mm on Sunday.
Perth will struggle to get temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius, with the lowest maximum temperature being 16 degrees Celsius on Friday.
From Wednesday until the weekend, minimum temperatures will fluctuate between 7 and 12 degrees.
Darwin
Darwin residents, meanwhile, can avoid the cold thanks to sunny weather and temperatures ranging between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius well into the weekend.
The minimum temperatures will drop to 14 and 15 degrees in the morning.