Topic: NSW / VIC Cold Front and Isolated Showers/Snow: 27-28 April 2008

[Shaun Galman]

Hi all,

Thought I'd just start a thread here to see how most towns faired in the large cold pool that crossed the states.
I know temps were pretty low in places. I was fortunate enough to be returning home from Sydney on the XPT in the middle of it all and saw my first ever snow falls once we reached Katoomba at 8am. (There was a stunningly white, rain/snow shower located in the valley just below Katoomba that was sunlit with an amazing rainbow to boot, if only I had my camera handy?) The snowflakes at the top of the pass, on the way to Lithgow were quite large with a "flake diameter" anywhere up to half inch in some places. It seemed as if the whole sky was alive with snowflake movement!

Showers were on and off all the way through to Dubbo and we encountered more snow at Blaney and an amazing sight SE of Orange with the Canobolas Mountains blanketed in snow just below the dark grey cloud bases. Upon arrival in Dubbo it felt like it was only 12-14º so I immediately jumped on the bus and I wasted no time standing around in those temps! It was freezing!

Once past Dubbo the skies were pretty clear and uneventful all the way back to the Ridge (no surprises there? lol)

I only heard today that snow had fallen in Tamworth also.
Cheers guys.
Shauno

[Matt Pearce]

I certainly don't think there was snow in Tamworth itself. I have heard some sketchy reports of snow "near" Tamworth, but no concrete reports as yet. Does anyone know of any actual reports of snow near Tamworth at all? Given the trajectory of the cold pool passed basically right over the CTs, I would be a little surprised if there was anything that far north...

[Jimmy Deguara]

Shauno,

end to agree with Matt here - can you verify the claims of snowfalls even near Tamworth? What was the source and reliability of the report?

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

[Michael Bath]

That will be an event you always remember Shauno - what great timing for your trip !

I also heard some vague report of snow in the Tamworth area but can't recall the source now.

The cold air has resulted in many very low minimums 29th and 30th April - no doubt quite a few records have been set - only checked locally so far and Casino certainly had its lowest April temp (4.5 on the half hourly obs) and that site has 100 years of data.

[Shaun Galman]

Shauno,

Tend to agree with Matt here - can you verify the claims of snowfalls even near Tamworth? What was the source and reliability of the report?

Regards,

Jimmy Deguara

Hi Jimmy,
I cant really verify the claims myself. I did hear it from a friend who lives there but how reliable or accurate it is I don't know? Maybe it was only showery-sleet?

That will be an event you always remember Shauno - what great timing for your trip !

I also heard some vague report of snow in the Tamworth area but can't recall the source now.

Hi Michael, 
Thanks, yeah I will never forget it thats for sure! I only wish I could have jumped off the train and grabbed my camera. But oh well these things happen. On the bright side, it made a usually mundane journey very enjoyable and interesting!
I would have liked to test the air temps on the higher mountains at the time. The train windows were freezing cold to the touch and I'd guess the air temps were getting down into the single figures or low minuses at times.

Did the temperature readings from Tamworth on the day suggest that anything in the way of snow falls would have been possible at certain altitudes? I've never been over that way myself so I don't really know the topographic layout of the terrain at all, large hills, mountains ect.?
 
Kindest regards,
Shauno   

[Michael Bath]

The obs suggest the temps were too high around Tamworth to Armidale though it is still possible some very light frozen precipitation occurred on some of the higher ground - but more likely further south.