Bitter cold blast to bring snow and hail to Australia's southeast

A blast of wintry weather will sweep across southeastern Australia from tomorrow, bringing snow, gusty winds and a burst of much colder conditions after an unseasonably mild autumn.

It follows a soaking start to the week, with parts of Victoria and New South Wales recording their wettest May days in years.

Another, stronger front will move in from tomorrow and into Thursday, sending icy air north and bringing the coldest conditions of the season so far.

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NSW

Rain has already swept across large parts of the state, with heavy falls recorded in the Snowy Mountains and central west.

Thredbo Top Station recorded 106mm of rain in just 24 hours on Sunday – its wettest May day on record – while Cabramurra and Forbes also saw significant totals.

Showers are continuing across eastern parts of the state, including in Sydney, ahead of the cool change.

Colder air will deepen from Thursday, with snow expected to fall across the alpine region and possibly onto the tablelands.

Sydney will escape the worst of the cold temperatures, but temperatures are expected to fall to a high of 18 degrees on Thursday.

Canberra is forecast to reach just 10 degrees, with frost likely heading into the weekend.

Victoria

Widespread rain has soaked much of the state, with alpine areas recording the heaviest falls.

The heaviest falls were at Mount Hotham, which received more than 80mm in 24 hours, while nearby Harrietville and Mount Buffalo also saw substantial totals.

Central and western districts recorded solid falls, with several locations posting their highest May daily totals in years.

Melbourne has enjoyed a long run of mild days, topping 20 degrees on most days over the past fortnight.

That run is about to end with a maximum temperature of 12 degrees forecast for Thursday.

Showers, strong winds and colder temperatures are expected to linger into the weekend.

Tasmania

Northern parts of the state were caught up in the weekend rain, while colder conditions are set to return as the stronger front moves through.

Hobart is forecast to reach just 13 degrees on Thursday, with snow expected on higher ground.

Tasmania has already seen several snowfall events this autumn, but this system will deliver another burst of wintry weather.

What to expect

The incoming front will bring a mix of showers, small hail and strong winds as it tracks across the southeast.

Snow is forecast to fall to altitudes of around 900 metres, with up to 20cm possible across alpine resorts in Victoria and New South Wales.

The falls are unlikely to last, however, with conditions expected to ease before the traditional ski season begins in early June.

While parts of the mainland have seen brief snow earlier this autumn, this system is shaping up to be the strongest cold outbreak so far this year.

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