News

All alpine resorts can expect 30 to 50 cm (with 60-80cm drifts) by end of week. Then there is more to come next weekend.

Summary:

This will be a week of snow that will be remembered for years - the end of June 2014.

A strong cold front is crossing Victoria, with a feed of cold, polar air in behind it. A second trough or surge follows on Tuesday, driven by a cut-off low that will move across Bass Strait. The coldest air affects Victoria from late Monday night through to Tuesday afternoon - with snow falling down to 600 metres while the cold pool is overhead.

After rain on Monday morning, it will rapidly change to snow, and lower through all alpine areas by the evening. The snow will be heavy until Tuesday afternoon, then moderate until Wednesday afternoon. 

We are hit by one more front on Thursday, but thanks to a weak high, we won't see the full force of this one, including the cold air. So, there is one concern: it will warm up from Wednesday afternoon through to Friday. It should still be snow falling above 1600 metres, but rain is likely below. 

By the end of the week, all alpine resorts can expect 30 to 50 cm, with 60 to 80 cm drifts. 

Why will this week be remembered? Because come next weekend, we repeat, with another front, then cut-off surge to follow - see outlook.

Outlook:

The next front arrives on Saturday, and we will see another cut-off low push a second surge across the southeast of the country - bringing another 30 to 50 cm by early next week.

So, that should be at least a metre for some parts, by the first week of the school holidays.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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