Insane polar blast to strike Australia: Snow and freezing temperatures on the way
Weatherzone meteorologist Anthony Sharwood warned the cold front is likely to hit on Monday.
The system is expected to deliver rain, wild winds and potentially heavy snowfalls to alpine regions in Tasmania, Victoria, southern NSW and the ACT.
While those in Australia's southeast may feel prepared having shivered through a cold front last weekend, which delivered centimetres of snow to ski resorts, Mr Sharwood warned next week's will be more intense.
'The coming system looks to be stronger, colder, longer-lasting and wetter with the potential for heavy precipitation in a broad arc extending roughly from Adelaide to the ACT,' he said.
'This is the sort of cold front that snow lovers dream about in midwinter, let alone in May.
'The chart above shows how frigid air is expected to push northwards from well south of Tasmania early next week. The cold air should reach SE Australia on Monday along with plenty of moisture.'
Snow could fall down to 400m in Tasmania's mountains.
'In terms of systems of this calibre in May, the predicted set-up is reminiscent of the famous May 28-30 cold outbreak way back in the year 2000, when a metre of snow fell at the ski resorts and an NRL game at Canberra Stadium was played on a field that was white with settled snow,' Mr Sharwood said.
'That's not to suggest that the system will be quite that cold, or that snow will settle across Canberra, but brief snow flurries down as low as Canberra's elevation - around 600m - appear possible at this stage, with the snow level closer to 400m in Tasmania.'
The cold front is good news for ski lovers with the system to provide a half-metre of snow just in time for ski season.
'That's assuming there's no major rain event between this system and the season opening on Saturday, June 7,' Mr Sharwood said.
Significant rain is forecast for large parts of Victoria and southern SA.
'Estimating precise rainfall totals a few days out from a weather event is difficult to do with confidence, however widespread falls of at least 10mm or more are likely in the areas mentioned,' Mr Sharwood said.
'While this system is highly unlikely to be a drought-breaker, many locations will see their heaviest falls to date in 2025.'
Strong and potentially damaging winds are also set to affect alpine areas and exposed coastal weather stations in Victoria and Tasmania as the arctic air mass pushes northward.
'It's also worth mentioning that eastern NSW will be vulnerable to falling trees due to loose soil from the recent extremely heavy rain and historic flooding,' Mr Sharwood said.
'While the NSW coast usually sees minimal rainfall from southwesterly systems like this one, it generally doesn't miss the strong winds.'
Sydney
Friday: Cloudy. Very high chance of rain, easing in the late afternoon and evening. The chance of a thunderstorm. Winds east to northeasterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light in the early afternoon then becoming northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the late evening. Min 16. Max 22.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Winds northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h tending westerly during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. Min 13. Max 22.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Light winds. Min 12. Max 21.
Melbourne
Friday: Cloudy. High chance of showers. Light winds. in 10. Max 17.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h turning northerly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon. Min 11. Max 19.
Sunday: Mostly sunny day. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the evening. Winds northerly 25 to 40 km/h. Min 11. Max 19.
Brisbane
Friday: Sunny. Light winds. Min 14. Max 25.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Light winds. Min 14. Max 25.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. The chance of morning fog in the west. Light winds. Min 14. Max 27.
Perth
Friday: Cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the early morning. Winds southerly 15 to 20 km/h becoming light before dawn then becoming southeast to southwesterly 15 to 25 km/h in the morning. Min 10. Max 17.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Patches of morning frost about the hills. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming westerly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. Min 5. Max 17.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Light winds becoming southwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the afternoon. Min 9. Max 19.
Adelaide
Friday: Sunny. The chance of morning frost about the northern suburbs. Light winds becoming west to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h in the middle of the day then becoming light in the late afternoon. Min 5. Max 18.
Saturday: Mostly sunny morning. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the afternoon and evening. Winds northerly 15 to 25 km/h turning northwesterly 25 to 35 km/h during the morning. Min 8. Max 21.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. High chance of showers, most likely in the evening. Winds northwesterly 35 to 50 km/h. Min 11. Max 21.
Hobart
Friday: Mostly sunny morning. High chance of showers, most likely in the late afternoon and evening. Light winds becoming north to northeasterly 15 to 20 km/h in the evening then becoming light in the late evening. Min 5. Max 19.
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Very high chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Light winds becoming west to northwesterly 15 to 20 km/h during the day then becoming light during the evening. Min 10. Max 17.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the evening. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h turning northerly 20 to 30 km/h during the afternoon. Min 9. Max 17.
Canberra
Friday: Cloudy. Very high chance of rain, most likely in the morning and afternoon. Winds east to southeasterly 15 to 20 km/h shifting northwesterly in the early afternoon. Min 9. Max 18.
Saturday: Cloudy. Medium chance of showers, most likely in the morning. Winds northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h becoming light during the evening. Min 6. Max 16.
Sunday: Mostly sunny. Slight chance of a shower. Light winds becoming northwesterly 15 to 25 km/h during the morning. Min 4. Max 17.
Darwin
Saturday: Partly cloudy. Light winds. Min 22. Max 32.
Sunday: Partly cloudy. Medium chance of showers. Light winds becoming easterly 15 to 20 km/h during the morning then becoming light during the day. Min 24. Max 32.
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