Snow in May? What Australia's cold snap means for this winter

Climate experts have shared predictions for this winter, as snow falls in parts of Australia.

All signs point to a dry and warm winter, despite the early snowfall across parts of southern Australia. Source: Facebook / The Bureau of Meteorology/Chris Szandro

In Brief:

• The cold snap is continuing, as damaging wind warnings are issued for alpine areas.
• Climate experts are predicting a warm and dry winter.

A cold snap that saw snowfall in south-east Australia isn't an indication of the incoming winter, climate experts say.

It's not often Australians see snow in May, scientists say, but a cold front layered a pre-season blanket across parts of Victoria, Tasmania, southern NSW, ACT and South Australia.

Despite the temperature drop, senior meteorologist from the Bureau of Meteorology, Robert Urbaniak, said the chill is over.

"The temperature is going up tomorrow; we've seen the peak of the cold," he said.

But the strange weather will continue, with snow levels set to rise and damaging winds predicted.

Urbaniak said Mount Kosciuszko and the alpine areas of Tasmania will face potential blizzards and wind gusts of up to 110km/h, while eastern Victoria and inland NSW may wake up to a chilly, thick frost.

"It's unreasonably cold for this time of year ... but in the next week there won't be any more cold snaps," Urbaniak said.

"The three months of May, June and July are likely to be warm. The [winter] season isn't looking too grim."

The conditions may have excited Australia's ski villages, with several major ski slopes taking advantage of the cold air to create artificial snow.

But avid skier Dr Andrew Watkins says it'll be a "winter of grabbing the skis when you can".

Experts say while the weather is strange, it's not completely uncommon in transitional seasons like autumn. Source: Facebook / Bureau of Meteorology/Carly Ellen Lee

The adjunct professor at Monash University's School of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment said early snowfall isn't a "great indicator" of a "bumper snow season".

"Autumn is what we call a transition season. We're shifting from the heat of the summer to the cold of the winter, and at times you do get quite vigorous systems like this cold front."

But it may indicate El Niño, which means a dry and warm winter for southern Australia.

"A bit drier and warmer over the winter, clearer skies and more frosts towards spring," he said.

It's not the time to worry about the weather said Watkins, households are facing more pressing concerns.

"People have lots of other concerns at the moment, the price of diesel ... the price of food at the shops," he said.

"The weather will do what the weather will do."

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