Polar blast brings snow, rain, and cold to Australia’s southeast May 2026
Consensus Summary
A polar blast of Antarctic air is sweeping across Australia’s southeast, bringing snow, rain, and dangerously cold temperatures from Wednesday night into Thursday. Snow is forecast down to 500m in Tasmania, 600m in Victoria, and 700m in NSW and the ACT, though accumulations are expected to be light (5–10cm at ski resorts) and unlikely to settle in most areas. Melbourne, Adelaide, and Canberra will experience their coldest day of the year so far, with maximums of 14°C, 17°C, and 12°C respectively, while Sydney will reach just 19°C. The cold front follows a period of unseasonably warm weather, with temperatures 10°C above May averages recorded in northern South Australia and southern Tasmania just days earlier. Rain, thunder, small hail, and strong winds are also expected, particularly in South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania, with gales possible along southern coastal Victoria. The cold air will extend northward into inland NSW, southern Queensland, and Central Australia by Friday, with frost forecast for Alice Springs. While the event marks the first significant snowfall of the season, long-range forecasts suggest a warmer and drier winter is likely due to El Niño, though early-season snow does not guarantee a strong snow season.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Snow forecast for Tasmania down to 500m elevation on Wednesday night/Thursday morning
- Snow forecast for Victoria down to 600m elevation on Thursday
- Snow forecast for NSW and ACT down to 700m elevation on Thursday
- Melbourne’s maximum temperature on Thursday forecast at 14°C, the coldest day of the year so far
- Canberra’s maximum temperature on Thursday forecast at 12°C
- Sydney’s maximum temperature on Thursday forecast at 19°C
- Rain, thunder, small hail, and cold winds forecast for South Australia, Victoria, and Tasmania from Wednesday afternoon into Thursday morning
- A blast of Antarctic air is responsible for the cold snap, making Thursday the coldest day of the year so far for Melbourne, Adelaide, and Canberra
- Snowfall at ski resorts expected to be 5–10cm
- The cold front follows a period of unseasonably warm weather (10°C above May averages in northern SA and southern Tasmania)
- Frost forecast for Alice Springs on Friday and Saturday morning
- The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) is the primary source for forecasts in all articles
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Snow flurries possible in elevated terrains surrounding Hobart, Melbourne, and Canberra
- The cold front will sweep across the region in a short, sharp fashion, pushing out to the Tasman Sea by Thursday morning
- Icy winds will make the weather feel even colder on Thursday, with wind chill lowering temperatures further
- The cold air extends north into inland and western NSW later on Thursday, and into inland southern Queensland and Central Australia on Friday
- Australia’s snow season is described as 'very inconsistent and almost random at times'
- Early modelling suggests a warmer winter is likely, leaning toward dry in the southeast due to El Niño
- Daytime temperatures in winter are likely to be warmer than normal, according to BOM’s early long-range forecast
- The 2000 Canberra Raiders game kicked off at 1°C with snow flurries as an example of May snow
- The bulk of the rain is expected to be in the south-east corner, with little rain forecast for drought-affected NSW regions
- Southern coastal Victoria can expect gales
- The rain should push into southeast NSW but not over the eastern side of the ranges
- The snowfall down to 500m, 600m, or 700m is unlikely to settle on the ground
- A high-pressure system over the Great Australian Bight is keeping rainfall away from Central Australia
- Senior meteorologist Dean Narramore is quoted instead of Jonathan How
- Melbourne’s maximum temperature forecast at 14°C with wind chill bringing 'feels like' temperatures to the low single figures
- Lake Mountain, Mt Baw Baw, and Mt Macedon in Victoria may experience snowfall
- The summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington (1,200m) in Tasmania may see snow halfway down to city level
- The Snowy Mountains in NSW may see snow down to 1,000m, with a slight possibility of flurries in the Central Ranges
- Blackheath in NSW’s Blue Mountains (1,060m) may receive a dusting of snow
- Canberra’s Black Mountain and Mt Ainslie may see snow
- The national area-averaged mean temperature in April was 1.14°C above the 1961–1990 average
- April rainfall was 43% below average, leading to dry conditions
- At least several centimeters of snow had already blanketed all Victorian alpine resorts by early Thursday morning
- Snow was reported in Kinglake, Pheasant Creek, and Healesville by Thursday morning
- Snow predicted for Mount Macedon, Trentham, and Mount Dandenong using BOM data
- The snow level in Victoria is expected to rise to 1,400m by Friday
- The Black Spur on the Maroondah Highway closed due to a serious crash, adding 90 minutes to travel time
- Sheep graziers in Victoria’s western, central, and East Gippsland regions are at risk of livestock losses
- Ferny Creek in the Dandenongs recorded a minimum of 0.6°C, the lowest since 2020
- Grampians recorded a minimum of -2.3°C, Wallan -1.8°C, Mount Buller -5.3°C, and Wilsons Promontory 7°C on Thursday
Where the reporting differs
Details that conflict, or appear in only some outlets:
- The Guardian says snow is possible down to 700m in Victoria, while Newscomau and ABC say 600m
- The Guardian mentions Blackheath in NSW’s Blue Mountains (1,060m) may receive snow, but ABC and Newscomau do not mention this specific location
- The Guardian states Melbourne’s wind chill will bring 'feels like' temperatures to the low single figures, while Newscomau and ABC do not specify this detail
- The Guardian reports the national April mean temperature was 1.14°C above average, but this specific statistic is not mentioned in other sources
- The Guardian and The Age report snow already fell in Victorian alpine resorts by early Thursday, while Newscomau and ABC forecast it for Wednesday night/Thursday morning
Source Articles
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A blast of Antarctic air is forecast to bring snow to hills across multiple Aussie capitals – with Thursday tipped to be the coldest day of the year so far for much of the country.
Snow, rain, icy winds forecast as polar blast hits south-east Australia
A wintry mix of snow, icy temperatures, and showers is set to hit Australia's south-east, bringing a sharp end to the recent run of warm autumn weather.
Snow forecast for three states as cold weather front descends on Australia’s south-east
Victoria, Tasmania and New South Wales could experience snowfall as a huge high-pressure system brings cold weather to millions Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A cold front and chasing high-pressure system should cause the mercury to plunge across most of southern Australia in coming days. The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a first taste of wintry conditions across much of the country, with the first snow of the year likely for several areas. Continue reading..
Snow falls on coldest day of the year in Melbourne
Plunging temperatures have brought snow to Kinglake, Pheasant Creek and Healesville. Further falls are expected in Melbourne’s outskirts.