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Freezing cold blast to sweep across southern Australia

Parts of Australia are bracing for some frosty weather and snow as a cold front moves up from the Southern Ocean.

The Bureau of Meteorology said southern parts of NSW, southern Australia and all of Victoria and Tasmania will feel the chill over the next three days, with cold, wet and windy weather.

BoM meteorologist Dean Narramore said however not all of Australia will feel the chill over the coming days.

Most parts of southern Australia are set to have frosty conditions for the next few days. Source: Weatherzone
Most parts of southern Australia are set to have frosty conditions for the next few days. Source: Weatherzone

"Pretty much if you live south of Adelaide to Sydney, it's winter. If you live anywhere else, it's beautiful," Mr Narramore told Yahoo News Australia.

"For many of us, it's the coldest we've probably seen so far this year and really the first taste of winter which is not far away."

On Friday, Weatherzone warned 'Jack Frost is on the way' and said parts of Australia could register the lowest temperature in a couple of years this weekend.

"A wintry air mass that originated over the Southern Ocean is spreading over southeastern Australia today in the wake of a cold front," Weatherzone said.

"This frigid air is causing temperatures to plummet and it's going to get even colder during the next couple of days and nights, as another front reinforces the cold air mass."

Mr Narramore said while it might be the first taste of winter for most of the country, the showers, hail, snow and strong winds will be restricted to all of Tasmania, most of Victoria and southern parts of New South Wales.

ACT could cop coldest May morning in years

Sydney will be mostly sunny on Saturday and Sunday with a top of 18C.

However, it's in southern NSW where the weather will get particularly icy over the next few days.

Mr Narramore said cold westerly winds will bank up on and west of the ranges in the southern part of the state, with clouds and showers and snow in the mountains.

Weatherzone is forecasting a low of -5C in Canberra on Sunday morning.

Mr Narramore said if it gets as low as -5C in Canberra, it will be the coldest May morning in six years.

He warns there are most likely inland communities in NSW who will also experience the coldest May morning in years.

Most of the cool weather in NSW will be in the southern part of the state, with Canberra also getting a taste of the icy blast. Source: Windy
Most of the cool weather in NSW will be in the southern part of the state, with Canberra also getting a taste of the icy blast. Source: Windy

Snow to fall in parts of Victoria, damaging winds on coast

On Friday, Melbourne reached a top of 14C, but on Saturday the temperature is set to drop to a maximum of 13C and by Friday it will hit 16C.

On Saturday and Sunday, the bureau is anticipating a high chance of rain.

There is a chance of a "gusty" thunderstorm over the southeast suburbs in Melbourne early on Saturday morning and a possible chance of hail in the morning and afternoon.

Melbourne can look forward to showers and temperatures below 20C over the weekend. Source: AAP
Melbourne can look forward to showers and temperatures below 20C over the weekend. Source: AAP

Sunday is expected to bring cloudy skies with a 90 per cent chance of rain in Melbourne's southwest suburbs, with a 50 per cent chance of rain elsewhere.

Snow is expected to fall at 700 metres in parts of Victoria.

Several weather warnings are in place for Victoria, including damaging winds for Central, East Gippsland, South West and West and South Gippsland Forecast Districts overnight and on Saturday.

The winds are expected to average between 50 to 60km/h with peak gusts reaching around 90km/h.

You can view the full list of severe weather warnings for Victoria here.

Snow expected in Tasmania, South Australia gusty along coast

Snow is expected to drop 500 metres above sea level in Tasmania, Mr Narramore said, adding it's going to be "very cold" in Hobart, where it is expected to reach 11C.

Mr Narramore also warned there will be widespread showers and a chance of hail across the state and in Hobart.

The capital is expected to reach a top of 11C on Saturday, 14C on Sunday and 13C on Sunday.

The state has several weather warnings in place for the coming days which can be viewed here.

Adelaide is expected to be cloudy on Saturday, with a 20 per cent of a shower and a top of 17C and southeasterly winds between 15 to 20km/h.

On Sunday, it is expected to get as low as 8C and as high as 17C, with a medium chance of showers.

The BoM has a strong wind warning in place for the South Central Coast, Upper South East Coast and Lower South East Coast for Saturday.

Queensland, WA, NT largely spared from cold

After wild storms earlier in the week, Queensland has a mostly sunny outlook for the coming days, though Mr Narramore warned cooler weather is on the way for southern parts of Queensland.

Brisbane is forecast to hit 24C tomorrow and remain in the low 20s for the coming days.

However, the cool weather will seep into southern parts of Queensland, with frost expected come Sunday and Monday.

Currently there is a Marine Wind Warning in place for parts of Queensland including the South East Gulf of Carpentaria, Peninsula Coast and Cooktown Coast.

The weekends weather will be the first taste of winter for much of Australia. Source: Windy
This weekend's weather will be the first taste of winter for much of Australia. Source: Windy

Perth will be spared from the chilly weather, with a high of 24C forecast on Saturday and 27C on Sunday and Monday.

A strong wind warning is in place for the West Kimberley Coast, Pilbara Coast East and Pilbara Coast West on Saturday.

Darwin will be sweltering through the weekend, with Saturday, Sunday and Monday all expected to see a top of 33C.

However, Alice Springs may get as low as 2C on Monday and 1C on Tuesday.

"Even Alice Springs might get to a chilly 20 degrees on the weekend, so the cold is going to go a long way north," Mr Narramore said.

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