'WELCOME TO WINTER': Severe weather warning as icy blast batters several states
A severe weather warning stretching the entire length of NSW's coast has been issued for Wednesday as the state braces for an icy blast on what is officially the first day of winter.
Engulfing large parts of the coastline, as well as all of Sydney, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) warned this morning of damaging winds for 11 regions.
Anyone in the Hunter, Metropolitan, Illawarra, South Coast, Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, Australian Capital Territory and parts of Mid North Coast, Central Tablelands, South West Slopes and Northern Tablelands Forecast Districts are being urged to take action.
Welcome to winter! Cold temperatures across #NSWweather and windy conditions continuing with a warning for damaging wind gusts on and east of the Great Dividing Range. Snow along the southern and central ranges. Find the sun to thaw out. Full details https://t.co/q3xCF0PI3D pic.twitter.com/W0zSUZOuZP
— Bureau of Meteorology, New South Wales (@BOM_NSW) May 31, 2022
Winds of up to 100km/h
Wind gusts of up to 90km/h in the northern regions and up to 100km/h in the southern regions are forecast.
Nowra reported gusts of 98km/h overnight.
Residents are being told to move vehicles away from trees, secure or put away loose items outside and remain vigilant, particularly on the roads.
Blizzards are likely in higher areas above 1800 metres, while "significant" snow is falling in large parts of the southern and central ranges, as low as 700 metres.
Face-numbing temperatures
"Welcome to winter!" the BoM announced on Twitter.
ABC reporter Xanthe Gregory, reporting from the Central Tablelands near Orange, said winter had arrived "with a bang".
"I really can't feel my face at the moment," she admitted with a snowy backdrop in the town of Blayney.
Happy first day of Winter! ❄️❄️🤣🤣
Perisher has had 30cm of snow so far and temps down to -8°c overnight! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/s7dVWCr5qy— BoonBro 🇦🇺🏂❄️ (@BoonBroAus) May 31, 2022
Temperatures at Orange Airport were 0.3C at 7.30am, however felt more like -8.8C, according to the BoM.
The strong cold front and low pressure system is also affecting Australia's other southern and eastern states.
"Residents of southeast South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and eastern New South Wales and parts of southern Queensland will be impacted by this system," the BoM said.
Maximum temperatures are expected to be 3-6C below the May average, including in areas as far inland as southern Queensland and southern NT.
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