Significant cold and wind outbreak for south-east Australia, easing on Thursday, but with further cold fronts this weekend

01/06/2022

Issued: 3pm AEST on Wednesday 1 June 2022

Wet and windy conditions continue to move across the south-east, with the coldest conditions so far this year, and strong winds making it feel much colder.

Severe Weather Warnings for damaging winds currently stretch across parts of eastern New South Wales, the ACT and elevated Victoria in a vigorous air flow.

Snow has been observed at lower-elevation locations, including Mt Macedon, Trentham and Ballarat in Victoria and Oberon, Bathurst and Lithgow in NSW. Snow also fell on the Brindabellas near Canberra. Snowfalls of 20-30 cm were observed at some of the Alpine ski resorts into Wednesday morning including at Mt Hotham, Thredbo and Perisher, although the winds have led to blizzard conditions.

Strong to damaging winds have now eased across South Australia and Tasmania. Winds will ease in Victoria and NSW into the afternoon and during Wednesday evening. It will remain fairly blustery along the coast even after warnings have been cancelled.

With these strong winds, the 'feels like' temperature has been much lower than the actual temperature, stretching up into southern Queensland.

Further showers are expected along the southern coastlines of Victoria and Tasmania for the remainder of Wednesday, although significant rainfall totals are not expected. Showers will begin to clear into Thursday.

There are large wave and swell conditions - for parts of the south-east and eastern coastline - and a Hazardous Surf Warning is in effect for the central NSW coast.

Relatively milder and drier conditions are expected on Thursday in the east and south-east after a frosty start inland, but further cold fronts will bring cold and showery weather into this weekend.

Showers will develop across western Qld, western NSW and northern Victoria during Friday, and reach 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.

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 1300 m.

A follow-up stronger cold front and low-pressure system will approach SA, Victoria southern NSW on Saturday night and into Sunday, bringing another burst of cold showers, cold air ansd low-level snow to 800-900m and strong westerly winds.

While this second, stronger system will not be as windy as the system currently impacting the south-east, there is the potential for strong to localised damaging winds about the coast and elevated areas, especially on Saturday night in SA, and Sunday for Victoria and parts of south-east NSW.

Maximum temperatures will remain below average well into next week.

Rainfall totals to Wednesday 9am AEST were generally lower than the previous 24 hours, but included:

• 56 mm at Henty Canal, Tas
• 42 mm at Yarragon South, Vic
• 37 mm at Rhyll, Vic
• 28 mm at Moe South, Vic
• 23 mm at Orange, NSW

Significant wind gusts have been observed over the past 24 hours, including:

• 124 km/h at Hogan Is, Vic
• 119 km/h at Cape Grim, Tas
• 107 km/h at Cape Otway, Vic
• 102 km/h at Bellambi, NSW
• 98 km/h at Nowra, NSW
• 96 km/h at Williamstown, NSW
• 95 km/h at Kurnell, NSW
• 94 km/h at Wollongong, NSW
• 87 km/h at Port Philip Bay, Vic
• 85 km/h at Sydney Airport, NSW
• 80 km/h at Frankston Beach, Vic

The Bureau is recommending communities stay up to date with the latest Bureau warnings through the Bureau's website and BOM Weather app and follow the advice of emergency services.