Topic: SE AUST Cold and Snow 9-11 August 2008

[Michael Bath]

Although it's unlikely to affect the region I live too much apart from some frosty mornings next week, a large part of Southeast Australia will be under the influence of a significant cold outbreak from today. Snow levels are likely to drop to below 600 metres in some areas - particular VIC. NSW should see snow to 700 metres. 

This morning's satpics show the very cold air closing in on the SA and VIC coasts.

[Michael Bath]

A new type of warning product was just issued by the Vic BoM:


TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST
VICTORIAN SEVERE WEATHER WARNING
for Intense cold outbreak conditions and hazardous driving conditions
For people in southern and mountain districts.
Issued at 3:00 pm EST on Saturday 9 August 2008

Severe cold outbreak conditions will extend into western Victoria tonight and
across remaining southern and mountain districts on Sunday.

Hazards include snowfalls down to 400 metres affecting roads that rarely
experience snow. Black ice across roads. Dangerously cold conditions for both
livestock and people in the bush or outdoors. Squally winds in the west of the
State with gusts around 85 km/h. 

[Peter J]

Mike,

I've just recently seen this forecast, and can tell all others that if this intense outbreak does occur, it may be possible to see snow in districts like where I live (E of central Melb) and the nearby Mt Dandenong area. I'm looking forward to this, as it has only snowed here (in my lifetime) once back in 1987. The only warning I will give to anyone travelling through VIC tomorrow is beware of the transparent ice killer - black ice - it can be more deadly than snow on the road!

Pity I have to travel 25kms each way to my old man's place in Box Hill tomorrow, coz I think I will be travelling through snow in a car without a heater!

Big Pete
(watching and waiting for the snowfall)

[Jane Gough]

Hi All,

Just been on a quick trip across the top of Mt Dandenong. Snow settled from Tremont all the way through to Montrose along the Mt Dandenong Tourist Road. The Police closed the road up to Mt Dandenong (Ridge Rd), either due to the snow or the amount of siteseers! I took over 150 pics, and have only had the time to process a few.

Would have loved to have stayed longer, but have prior committments this afternoon. I should have plenty more pics later.

[Harley Pearman]

Cold temperatures for Sunday 10 August 2008 (SE Australia)

Jane, excellent photos you took and they provide the evidence to show that SE Australia has enjoyed a cold August day.

In particular, Armidale on the northern tablelands at 980 metres in elevation must be mentioned in this post. Residents woke up to a minimum low of minus 7.8 Celsius. The top temperature was 11 Celsius giving a range of 18.8 C between the minimum and maximum temperature. It is the cold morning that is noteworthy here.

Many inland centres in southern NSW where the cold took hold had top temperatures in the 7 to 10C range such as Albury 9C, Cootamundra, Wagga Wagga and Gundagai 8C and Canberra 8C.

I read a report in Weatherzone news that snow flurries occurred in Tuggeranong and Belconnen. The minimum temperature around Canberra was -3C.

Bathurst at around 670 metres in elevation had a minimum temperature of 0C and a maximum of 7C and early snow flurries occurred in the locality. Orange at 888 metres in elevation had a minimum temperature of minus 3C and a top temperature of 5C. Goulburn ranged from minus 1C to 7C and Katoomba had a minimum of 1C and a maximum of 7C.

Oberon at 1,113 metres in elevation went from minus 1 C to 2C and snow occurred.

Cabramurra had a top temperature of minus 4C and Thredbo had a range from minus 7C to minus 5C.

On the other hand, Evans Head on the north coast of NSW topped out on 22C in comparison to this cold and most of Sydney had maximum tops of around 15 to 16C prior to the cold front coming through.

It was not much better in Victoria. I read storeys in "The Age", Melbourne of snow occurring near Woodend, Bacchus Marsh and Mt Dandenong as the photos in the previous post testify.

Jane, I read a report of snow occurring in outer Melbourne, most likely the NE area which if it did occur, it would be quite rare. The report did not say where this occurred.

Mildura reached a top of 12C, Ballarat 7C, Casterton 9C, Melbourne City 11C but some outer areas were colder such as Scoresby. Wonthaggi had 8C, Bendigo 9C and Eildon 3C. These maximum temperatures were common across the state. Mt Hotham reached a top of minus 5C.

Local hail was also reported and around 3pm, I noted a "severe thunderstorm alert" in place for most of southern Victoria for hail, wind squalls and heavy rain that was cancelled late in the day.


Harley Pearman

[Jane Gough]

I have processed a few more images from my trip to The Dandenongs yesterday. From my observations and the terrain map on Google, snow had settled at approximately 300m asl, and there was approximately 2-3cm depth at around the 400m -500m asl in Ferny Creek and Olinda.

[James]

Great shots Jane. The last one in particular has great bokeh!

[TroyVR]

Was very cold in Sydney overnight, When i woke up thermometer in my room read 8.3 degrees.

[Jimmy Deguara]

Nice snow outbreak as displayed in the pictures so far in Victoria. Usually moisture is an issue but this at least had a couple of bands that produced daytime snow.

Imelda, Kim and I headed out to Oberon. The first pre-cloud band produced initial snow up until the Bell vicinity and all the way to Oberon. Here we had breakfast just with the onset of snow although it was the ice pellets that dominated during the half hour breakfast 10:00 - 10:30am and then we headed to the Oberon lookout where it basically began to snow. At times the snow was heavy and persisted like this for about half an hour. Kim and Imelda certainly enjoyed the dump and it provided a great setting for photography in Oberon and near Shooters Hill. Kimberly and with myself as an assistant bull dozer built a snow man. We met up with Matt Smith and wife near Shooters Hill which was great. The second dumping made it all the way to Hampton where a nice layer of snow existed in the mountain overlooking this region.

I must say I really enjoyed this snow dumping and I took the opportunity to take pictures. Here are a few below:

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara, Imelda and Kimberly Tabasa

[Jimmy Deguara]

A few more images because I chose the incorrect ones at the end of the previous post:







All photos here:

http://australiasevereweather.com/photography/photos/2008/jd20080810.html

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[Dave Nelson]

Hi Gang

            Cindy and I travelled up to the Bathurst area on Sunday 10th.   Went up a side road into
a forestry area ~ 15km before Bathurst. There we had a variation of soft ice pellets to small flakes
falling.   Cindy was so thrilled to be finally in the falling white stuff   
  It was quite nice seeing all the trees with their white covering

cheers
Dave N

[Peter J]

It certainly has been cold in Vic this August. And the rainfall should be over the average by now - I know here at Mooroolbark rainfall has exceeded 55mm for the month so far, and o/night temps have been hovering just above 0 deg C. Missed out on the Mt Dandenong snow event, but did get some light sleet on the window of the car on the way to work that day (tues/wed last week).

I'm not sure, but I think this August so far has been close to the coldest mornings record. Can anyone else confirm this?

Big Pete

[Mike]

Glad you all got out and about in the snow.  Love the pic of the 60km sign or is that 60 below!  Have been out of touch for a while but there's been some icy conditions with those fronts moving through in the past weeks.