Blast of winter weather sets in as warnings issued for Australia’s southeast
Damaging winds and high rainfall totals have prompted severe weather warnings as a “wintry blast” hits large parts of Australia’s southeast.
A low pressure system deepening over the southern Tasman Sea is bringing freezing temperatures, strong winds and heavy rain to inland parts of NSW, Victoria and Tasmania, with the blast of wild weather expected to continue over the coming days.
Overnight and into Monday morning, parts of southern Tasmania experienced widespread rainfall totals of up to 20mm and wind gusts of up 100km/h at Mount Wellington in the state’s south.
Victoria was also lashed by the blast of winter weather, with Wilsons Promontory recording wind gusts of 119km/h and Ferny Creek experiencing more than 30mm of rainfall from 9am on Sunday, the highest rainfall total across the state.
While Victoria and Tasmania experienced a wet and windy night, just 5mm of rain fell on NSW overnight.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds remains in place for large areas of Tasmania, including King Island and parts of Western, South East, North East, East Coast, North West Coast, Central North, Central Plateau and Midlands forecast districts.
A flood warning has also been issued for parts of the North East, East Coast, Huon, Derwent and South East catchments as well as minor flood warnings for the Huon River and the St Pauls River
Camera IconDamaging winds are expected in parts of Tasmania. Bureau of Meteorology Credit: News Corp Australia
In Victoria, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning on Monday for damaging winds in parts of West and South Gipplsand, Central and South West forecast districts.
“Damaging winds developing along parts of the southwest facing southern coasts and damaging winds and blizzard conditions for Mt Baw Baw from this afternoon,” the warning said.
In NSW, “vigorous alpine winds with blizzard conditions” are likely to hit parts of the Snowy Mountains forecast district from Monday morning.
A severe weather warning has also been issued to sheep graziers in the Northern Tablelands, Illawarra, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, South West Slopes, Snowy Mountains and ACT forecast districts.
“Sheep graziers are warned that cold temperatures, rain and showers and westerly winds are expected during Sunday and Monday,” the warning said.
“There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions.”
By Monday evening, rain in Tasmania is expected to ease to a shower as the weather system contracts to the east south and Bass Strait Islands.
Camera IconHigh rainfall totals are forecast to continue across large parts of Victoria, Tasmania and NSW. Bureau of Meteorology Credit: News Corp Australia
Southeast to southwesterly winds are also expected to ease during the afternoon.
Showers falling as snow above 800m will also lift to about 1300m by Monday evening.
“Basically a cold day with below average temperatures and strong to gale and gusty about the coastal fringes and Yarra Ranges from the afternoon,” Bureau of Meteorology community information officer Brooke Pagel said.
NSW will likely to continue to experience scattered showers across the ranges and western slopes, with snowfall on the Alps above 700m.
“Snow is also possible on the Central Tablelands across 800m and slightly possible on the Northern Tablelands above 1000m,” Ms Pagel said.
“Blizzards are also possible on the Alpine peaks above 1900m. Isolated showers are possible as well across the remainder of the inland and along the southern half of the coast.”
Further north in Brisbane, temperatures are expected to remain at about 19C until Thursday, with low chances of rain.
Temperatures in Adelaide will remain in the mid teens for much of the week and light winds of 15-25km/h are forecast for most days.
Further south in Peth, temperatures are expected to remain in the low 20s for the first half of the week before falling into the high teens.
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