Unseasonal Chill: Southern Australia Records Snow and Sub-15C Feels in November
A cold air mass from Antarctica dropped apparent temperatures in major cities to 5.3C while snow covered alpine resorts in NSW, Victoria, and Tasmania.
By Eric Collins ·
A deep cold air mass moving north from the Antarctic region brought springtime snow to highland areas in New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania on Saturday and Sunday. The weather event caused apparent temperatures in southern capital cities to fall well below forecast maximums, creating a sharp contrast with the heat experienced in northern Australia.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) identified a specific weather system filled with cold air as the driver of the chill. South-westerly winds further reduced the "feels like" temperature, making the air feel colder than the actual air temperature indicated. While snow in November is uncommon, it is not unprecedented; the BoM noted that the affected locations also recorded snowfalls during a similar event in November 2022.
Resorts in the Snowy Mountains range, including Thredbo, Perisher, and Mount Hotham, all recorded snow. In Tasmania, snow fell on Kunanyi/Mount Wellington in Hobart. Local businesses and residents documented the unusual conditions on social media. Madeleine McVie, a retail manager at Thredbo, posted video on Instagram on Saturday afternoon showing active snowfall. "You will not believe this, it’s springtime in Australia, in November, and it’s snowing," she wrote. "Like, not just a little bit. It’s fully snowing."
The impact on daily life was visible in various communities. The Kingston Crows cricket club in Tasmania shared an image of the Kingston Beach Oval on Saturday, which showed the ground coated in hailstones. McVie later posted a clip on Sunday morning of riding empty chairlifts through the park as the snow continued to fall.
The temperature drop was most acute in the southeast. At midday, Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, Canberra, and Sydney all registered apparent temperatures cooler than 13C. Canberra recorded the lowest apparent temperature at 5.3C, despite a maximum air temperature of 12.9C. Adelaide had the highest actual maximum temperature among the southern capitals at 17.5C, but it felt like 12.3C due to the wind chill.
The cold snap highlighted a stark regional divide within the country. While the southeast endured winter-like conditions, Brisbane, Perth, and Darwin experienced temperatures in the 20s or 30s. The BoM forecasts warmer temperatures for Monday, with all capital cities expected to reach at least 20C by Tuesday.
This event is occurring against a backdrop of climate predictions that point to a stronger El Niño pattern. The BoM and the United Nations have warned that a supercharged El Niño is likely to intensify extreme weather events. The southern hemisphere summer is predicted to be hotter and drier as a result, which increases the risk of droughts and wildfires in Australia and southern Africa.
