Winter weather: Millions hit with brutal cold snap as states brace for the coldest temperature of the year
Millions are bracing for a deep freeze to set over the southern half of Australia, with an icy and wintry chill locking firmly in place as parts of NSW mark the coldest day of the year.
Residents across the southwestern region of Australia will be hit with thunderstorms and damaging winds as a cold front settles in.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Western Australia will be the first to feel the freeze as blistering winds and thunderstorms roll in, smashing the state’s western and southwestern regions.
Perth will bear the brunt of the rain on Friday afternoon, copping between 20mm to 50mm over the next two days before the cold front slowly moves east towards South Australia, Victoria and NSW.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines told NewsWire it was normal for WA to get hit with the coldest conditions before the rest of the country.
“Through the winter months, WA does often cop a lot of cold fronts,” he said.
”Given that most of our weather in the southern half of the country moves from west to east, it’s often WA that gets the first taste of these colder outbreaks.”
Severe thunderstorms are likely for Perth on Saturday, with scattered showers and strong winds smashing much of the southern regions of WA and moving to the southern coast on Sunday.
It won’t be long before those wintry conditions move over to Victoria and NSW.
“It’s going to take a couple of days, but early next week that will be arriving in the southeast of the country, bringing some rain, some wind, and eventually some cold temperatures down that way as well,” Mr Hines said.
However, while the mornings will be particularly tough for much of the southeast region, temperatures will warm up during the day.
“Interestingly, when we look at the maximum temperatures, kind of the afternoon temperatures when the sun is out, we do see those getting a little bit warmer compared to what they’ve been over the last few days,” he told NewsWire.
“That’s really the main trend for the next couple of days.”
Conditions will be extra chilly in the eastern region of the country over the weekend as the cold front system moves in, bringing rain thunderstorms and damaging wind gusts in the middle of next week.
On Friday, parts of south and central NSW recorded the coldest temperature of the year so far, with a high pressure ridge over the state settling weather conditions.
Canberra recorded an icy -7C on Friday morning, while Lithgow in NSW’s Central Tablelands a a chilly -6C.
“Some really icy temperatures out through parts of the country,” Mr Hines told NewsWire.
The bureau expects subzero conditions to smash parts of NSW, Victoria and southern inland Queensland over the weekend, particularly Saturday.
Rain will follow for Victoria and NSW early next week, hitting the hardest on Tuesday and Wednesday.
However, it will be a “dry weekend’” for residents in northern Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania and most of SA.
Over the weekend, Brisbane residents can expect slight chance of showers over the weekend, with light winds and a top of 22C on Saturday and 23C on Sunday.
It will be relatively cool for Sydney residents over the weekend, with mostly sunny conditions and patches of frost in the outer west, reaching a maximum temperature of 18C on Saturday and 19C on Sunday.
Conditions will be icy in Canberra, with morning frost pulling the minimum temperature to -4C and a top of 14C on Saturday and Sunday.
Melbourne will be mostly sunny over the weekend, with frost patches and fog expected in the morning, with a maximum temperature of 15C on Saturday and 16C on Sunday.
Temperatures will be slightly warmer in Hobart, with mostly sunny skies and a top of 17C on Saturday and 16C on Sunday.
Adelaide residents can expect a sunny weekend with a top of 19C on Saturday, followed by a high chance of showers and a top of 21C on Sunday.
Conditions will be wet and soggy for Perth over the weekend, with a high chance of showers for much of the day, reaching a maximum of 17C on Saturday and 19C on Sunday.
It will be warm and sunny over the weekend for Darwin, with sunny skies and a top of 31C on Saturday and 30C on Sunday.
Originally published as Millions hit with brutal cold snap as states brace for the coldest temperature of the year
