‘Major winter weather event’ to sweep Australia with widespread snow for NSW, Victoria, Queensland

Antarctic blast sweeping Australia TODAY is set bring snow as far north as Queensland and freezing temperatures for millions – here’s the forecast near you

  • Antarctic winds drawn into cold front crossing South Australia from Monday      
  • Snow is possible as far north as northern NSW and south-east Queensland
  • Thermostat forecast to fall to 6C in Sydney and 0C in Canberra on Monday
  • Worst-affected areas set to be from eastern Victoria to inland south NSW
  • Those regions may receive at least one month’s worth of rainfall in two days


A ‘major winter weather event’ is set to sweep across Australia this week, bringing widespread snow to the eastern states and freezing temperatures.’

The unseasonal weather system will hit the South Australian mainland on Monday afternoon and bring with it rain, hail and snow to regions as far north as southern Queensland by Tuesday.

The thermostat is forecast to fall to 6C in Sydney by 8pm on Monday and as low as 0C in Canberra.  

A marine weather warning for gale-force winds of 90-100km/h is in place for South Australia as the cold front makes landfall.

A cold front is expected to bring widespread snow to the eastern states and freezing temperatures for millions this week. Pictured are the chilly temperatures as the front is forecast to move eastwards this week

Forecasters meanwhile have warned as much as 100cm of snow could fall in alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales in the next 10 days.

Up to 30cm of snow could fall across the Central Tablelands of NSW and the Blue Mountains, with five to 15cm forecast in the Northern Tablelands. 

Land as low as 1000m in Victoria, NSW and southern Queensland is likely to see ‘quite significant’ fall. 

The worst-affected areas are expected to be from eastern Victoria across to coastal and inland southern New South Wales from Tuesday as the front moves eastwards.

The Bureau of Meteorology said those regions could receive at least one month’s worth of annual rainfall in just two days.

‘The heaviest rainfall appears to be centred over eastern Victoria and coastal parts of southern NSW and adjacent inland areas,’ BoM senior meteorologists Sarah Scully told Daily Mail Australia. 

A snowy Perisher resort last week. As much as 100cm of snow could fall in alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales in the next 10 days

A snowy Perisher resort last week. As much as 100cm of snow could fall in alpine regions of Victoria and New South Wales in the next 10 days

‘Potential rainfall totals could be in excess of 100mm, with Wednesday and Thursday the wettest days,’ Ms Scully said. 

Emergency information provider NSW Incident Alerts called the developing weather system this week ‘a major winter weather event’.

Wind speeds are expected to reach 70km/h in Adelaide by midday on Monday before the front moves eastward towards Hobart and Melbourne.

Those cities are forecast to brace through gusts of up to 60km/h. 

In South Australia, the strong winds could even whip-up dust storms in inland parts of the state.  

Pictured: The forecast for snow over the next 10 days. Up to 30cm of snow could fall across the Central Tablelands of NSW and the Blue Mountains during that period

Pictured: The forecast for snow over the next 10 days. Up to 30cm of snow could fall across the Central Tablelands of NSW and the Blue Mountains during that period

Thunderstorms are predicted across south eastern Australia as part of a wild weather system that includes icy winds literally drawn to mainland Australia from Antarctica. Melbourne (pictured) will be one of the first cities to feel the chill

Thunderstorms are predicted across south eastern Australia as part of a wild weather system that includes icy winds literally drawn to mainland Australia from Antarctica. Melbourne (pictured) will be one of the first cities to feel the chill

The BOM on Saturday said it was preparing to issue a series of severe weather warnings as the cold front meets a low pressure system as it heads north-east.

There is particular concern for farmers.

‘We are expecting to issue sheep grazier warnings for farmers indicating very wet and windy conditions that may impact livestock,’ Ms Scully said.

It's going to be wet! Get set for a cold, wet and miserable week across south-eastern Australia

It’s going to be wet! Get set for a cold, wet and miserable week across south-eastern Australia 

‘There are likely to be flood warnings and severe thunderstorm warnings across south-eastern Australia.’

Ms Scully said areas that flooded recently will be particularly vulnerable to flooding again because the soil has not fully dried out since the March floods. 

‘We are confident this will be a significant weather event with heavy rain, small hail damaging winds and snow to low levels.’ 

THREE-DAY FORECAST IN YOUR CITY 

 PERTH  

Monday: Mostly sunny. Min 8 – Max 19

Tuesday:  Partly cloudy. Min 7 – Max 18

Wednesday: Shower or two. Min 10 – Max 19

ADELAIDE  

Monday: Showers developing, Min 12- Max 20

Tuesday: Showers, Min 7 – Max 13

Wednesday: Possible shower Min 7 – Max 15 

MELBOURNE  

Monday: Partly cloudy Min 11 – Max 18

Tuesday: Showers, Min 9 – Max 13

Wednesday: Showers Min 7 – Max 13

HOBART  

Monday: Possible shower Min 9 – Max 18

Tuesday: Showers Min 10 –  Max 14

Wednesday: Showers Min 7 – Max 15  

CANBERRA  

Monday: Partly cloudy Min 1 – Max 14

Tuesday: Showers, Min 2 – Max 12 

Wednesday:  Showers Min 1 – Max 10

 SYDNEY  

Monday: Mostly sunny. Min 8 – Max 21

Tuesday: Partly cloudy Min 11 – Max 20

Wednesday: Showers Min 10 – Max 17

BRISBANE  

Monday: Sunny Min 9 – Max 23

Tuesday: Late shower Min 11 – Max 23

Wednesday: Showers Min 14 – Max 22  

DARWIN  

Monday: Sunny, more humid Min 20 – Max 31

Tuesday: Sunny Min 21 – Max 31

Wednesday: Sunny Min 22 – Max 31