News

Cloud replacing sunshine today - a sign of the 5 to 10 cm of snow due on Thursday and Friday (up high). Chance of snow showers over the weekend. Snowy system building for next week.

Summary:

A high pressure system is moving out to our east, as a low and trough cross central parts of Australia.

This system peaks over South Australia on Wednesday, and will weaken as it crosses the southeast on Thursday and Friday. It will be borderline cold enough for snow up high, but most of the moisture has gone anyway. So, we are looking at light snow above 1700 metres to finish the week.

Snow showers may persist over the weekend as the next high pressure system moves over New South Wales, and cold fronts slide down to our south.

Outlook:

The pattern continues for Monday, but a strong cold front is set to move across the southeast of the country later Tuesday and on Wednesday. There is a gap between the high pressure systems as the front builds south of Western Australia (good for access to tropical moisture) but there is no cut-off low pressure system at this stage (no wrap around moisture, limiting precipitation). So this should be a moderate fall of snow, with lots of cold air in behind the front.

The Southern Annular Mode (SAM), that dictates whether there are lots of cold fronts able to push northwards, or whether high pressure dominates - should swing back in our favour next week, so things look better in the long term.

Commentary above courtesy of Jane's Weather.  www.janesweather.com