First autumn cold snap drops temperatures below zero

The first autumn cold snap of 2024 has surged north from Antarctic waters to touch Australia.

Temperatures dipped below zero at several locations in Tasmania, including -1.8 degrees at Mount Wellington, Weatherzone reported.

It didn’t get quite so cold at Devonport, but its recording of 3.8 degrees was the coldest the city has been this early in the year since 2003.

There were even some light snowfalls at higher altitudes in Tasmania.

The island state was also hit with strong winds.

Weatherzone reported that sustained wind speeds above 100km/hr were recorded at Maatsuyker Island off southern Tasmania, with several gusts topping 130km/hr.

Gusts of the same speed were also recorded at Mount Wellington.

The cold snap also reached the southern mainland, with temperatures dropping to -1.4 degrees at Mount Hotham in the Victorian Alps, while Cooma in southern New South Wales recorded one-degree temperatures at the airport.

Weatherzone said the cold outburst came after an unusually warm summer for Tasmania, which recorded temperatures 1.17 degrees above the long-term average.

And the cool change won’t last, with temperatures forecast to rise again this week.

Maximums are set to hit the mid-20 degree range for most of the week, but could rise to 33 in Hobart by Saturday, Weatherzone said.