BATTEN down the hatches — wild winds, rain and snow are just a taste of super cold front and winter storm set to smash southeastern Australia.
The big freeze is set to hit South Australia, Tasmania, NSW and Victoria as a monster low is followed by another cold front in our strongest winter storm so far this year.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued weather warnings for southwestern Australia with Adelaide and surrounds already rocked by monster winds.
The BoM has also predicted 120km/hr winds for the NSW Alpine regions with snowfalls likely as low as 300m across Victoria.
The super cold snap is expected to linger this week with Melbourne set for lows of 5C, Sydney 9C while Canberra can expect a chilly -2C.
BoM senior forecaster Jenny Sturrock told news.com.au a monster low over Tasmania is associated with the latest cold front.
She said this low has a weaker cold front associated with it which swept an associated cloud band over NSW, VIC and TAS yesterday.
Ms Sturrock said there will be a weakening of this cold front today but the cold air mass is set to linger a lot longer.
“At the moment we are seeing the new surge of cold air coming up from the south and will reinvigorate the region with a new cold front rapidly developing today,” she said.
“It is this cold front that is bringing the damaging winds to (SA, VIC, TAS and NSW) and snow as well as very cold temperatures from tomorrow and Wednesday.”
She also said the coldest air is yet to come and is expected to cross the southeastern states tomorrow night or early Wednesday with snow expected to fall as low as 500m in South Australia, 300m in Victoria, 200m in Tasmania and 600m in NSW.
“We are expecting snow in the Alpine regions with around half a metre expected in the next three days,” she said.
Snow is also possible across the Grampians in Victoria as well as possible light falls in Canberra.
The BoM is currently looking at whether a severe weather warning will be issued today for parts of Tasmania as the cold front moves through.
The cold front is currently moving up from SA bringing a cold air mass which is already being felt with Adelaide experiencing freezing winds and rain.
The BoM has also issued severe weather warnings for parts of Victoria today as well as for parts of NSW and the ACT.
The cold weather is set to bite even harder over the next few days.
“The cold front will pass through but it is bringing a cold air mass that will linger,” Ms Sturrock said.
Adelaide is expected to hit lows of 7C, while Canberra will hit 0C and even colder as the cold air mass moves in and sticks around from Wednesday.
Some capitals will struggle to remain in the double digits with the significant change of air mass.
The BoM said while rain is expected, a high pressure system will also bring sunny days but colder crisp weather.
South Australia is first in the firing line with monster winds already hitting as the weather deteriorates.
Snow is not only expected as low as 500m, but falls are possible over the Adelaide Hills tomorrow and Wednesday.
The city will only reach a maximum of 11C tomorrow.
Victoria is also in line for a battering with the BoM issuing a severe weather warning for damaging winds for people in the north central, northeast, southwest, central, west and South Gippsland and East Gippsland forecast districts.
Melbourne is heading for a high of 13C tomorrow, with the chance of hail and thunder and 11C on Wednesday.
Sydney is set for a high of just 14C on Wednesday but strong winds will make it feel even colder as the front lingers.
Hobart is set for a high of just 8C with a low of 4C before moving up to 15C by the weekend.
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