JUNE 10, 20218:33AMSnow in NSW, Qld: BOM weather forecast for freezing temperatures
Snowfall has turned New South Wales towns white and forced a major highway to close in both directions due to ice and poor visibility.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of cold temperatures, showers and strong south-westerly winds during Thursday and Friday.
The forecast for Armidale includes snow and the snowfalls have already been reported in the Northern Tablelands town of Guyra.
Snow has also been reported in Orange.
Further north in Queensland the apparent temperature dropped to a freezing -5.6C at Wellcamp Airport near Toowoomba.
Oakey, an agricultural centre and home to the Army Aviation Centre, shivered through an apparent temperature of -4.2C.
The bureau says a low pressure system over central New South Wales will enhance the cool to cold westerly flow over southern Queensland today. It is predicting snow or sleet at times about the higher terrain on the Granite Belt.
The bureau has warned that temperatures could plunge 10 degrees below average over the next day or so.
Up to 20mm of snow could fall over areas that may only get a dusting once every few years.
“This major winter storm will intensify across southeast Australia during Wednesday,” Sky News Weather senior meteorologist Tom Saunders said.
“New South Wales will be the centre of this winter storm in terms of the snowfall over the next couple of days.”
Sky News Chief Meteorologist Thomas Saunders said today should be the coldest day in decades for central and northern regions.
“Sydney’s forecast of 11C is the coldest in 25 years.
“Snow is falling right across the central ranges this morning and is heading to the northern ranges within hours,” he said.
