Millions in firing line as enormous cold front smashes almost every state
The cold front is sweeping across the southeastern coast of Australia, with heavy rain, destructive winds, snow and hail threatening to smash South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and parts of NSW.
This is after a cold front passed over Western Australia on Monday, bringing wet weather, chilly temperatures and damaging winds.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Angus Hines said winds would move from South Australia from Tuesday afternoon and head towards the east, picking up speeds of up to 80km/h in parts of Victoria and 110km/h in Tasmania.
'We actually saw one particularly strong wind gust at Mount Hotham in Victoria of 150km/h (overnight), which is really quite strong' Mr Hines said.
He said the extreme wind speeds at Mt Hotham were 'a bit of an outlier', but it could indicate the 'strength of those very high-end gusts that are possible today'.
A severe weather waning has been issued for Victoria's Great Dividing Range, as a strong northerly flow triggers destructive winds across northern Melbourne's northern suburbs, the Mornington Peninsula, the Dandenong Ranges, the Otway ranges and the surf coast.
Locations possibly affected include Ballarat, Bacchus Marsh, Daylesford, Falls Creek, Tullamarine, Yarra Glen, Sorrento, the Dandenong Ranges, Mt Baw Baw and Kyneton.
'We could see more gusts of 90, 100, 120 kilometres an hour, (with the) potential for some branches and trees down, property damage, power outages, that kind of thing,' he said.
The wild weather will also hit much of northwestern Tasmania too.
The bureau issued a severe weather warning issued for the North-West Coast, Western, Central Plateau, Central North and Midlands districts, with gusts expected to reach in excess of 110km/h.
Locations that may be affected by the damaging wind gusts include Devonport, Burnie, Strahan, Smithton, Oatlands and Bothwell.
The wind is also 'sneaking across the state border into the Snowy Mountains of NSW', Mr Hines told NewsWire.
'So lots of damaging wind warnings for today,' he said.
Aside from the destructive winds, Mr Hines said residents could also expect to see 'a little bit of snow' and 'a little hail' but clarified the conditions wouldn't be 'too significant'.
The bureau also warned of plummeting temperatures.
'(We can expect) some chillier temperatures as well spreading across the country, sort of behind the system in the wake of it as it moves through,' he said.
'July often our coldest month, so even if we see temperatures of two or three degrees below average at this time of year, that's a pretty cold day, particularly across the southern parts of the country.'
The icy conditions are expected to continue, with a second cold front forecast to hit Western Australia on Wednesday, starting in Perth and spreading across to Sydney by the weekend, bringing another cold snap and plenty of wet weather with it.
'(The second cold front) will follow that very typical pattern that we see a lot of these weather systems do,' Mr Hines said.
'Starting off in Perth in the west and then making its way across the southeast and then getting across to Sydney.'
He said it would take 'a few days' for the front to move east but cautioned it contained 'a lot more tropical moisture' than the first cold front, meaning residents are set to be soaked.
'This next weather system coming in a few days' time is going to bring more extensive and heavier rain as it crosses over the country,' Mr Hines said.
The rain will likely blanket almost every state and territory in the country, including Western Australia, 'almost all' of South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, NSW and 'even the majority' of Queensland.
'The falls aren't going to be sort of absolutely massive but really a solid dose of rain for a lot of people in the country,' he said.
On Tuesday, Brisbane residents can expect a partly cloudy day with a medium chance of showers and top of 22C.
It will also be partly cloudy for Sydney, with a chance of showers in the evening and a maximum temperature of 20C.
Canberra will cop cloudy skies and a high chance of showers, with a top of 16C.
Melbourne residents can expect a very high chance of showers and damaging winds, with a top of 16C.
It will be similar in Hobart on Tuesday, with high chance of showers in the afternoon and evening and a top of 17C.
In Adelaide, residents can expect lots of showers and a small chance of hail, with strong winds and a maximum temperature of 13C.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Northwest cloud band to bring days of heavy rain, gusty winds and cold snaps across Queensland as low pressure system builds off the coast
A sprawling cloud band stretching thousands of kilometres across Australia is set to drench parts of Queensland, with warnings of intense localised rainfall, strong winds, and unseasonably cool temperatures through the weekend. Parts of Queensland are in for a sodden weekend amid warnings of a powerful weather system set to unleash torrential rain, biting winds and a noticeable drop in temperatures across the state. A northwest cloud band extending over 3,000km from the Indian Ocean is clashing with a coastal low-pressure system between Maryborough and Yeppoon, creating the perfect conditions for widespread rainfall through central and coastal Queensland. Brisbane could face a wet start to the Ekka on Saturday, with 20mm of rain forecast and gusts of up to 30km/h. Further south, the Gold Coast is expected to collect as much as 95mm across three days, starting Friday. But the heaviest rainfall is set to hit central Queensland, where localised totals could soar to 300mm in areas closest to the low's path. Cities including Rockhampton, Gladstone and Yeppoon are all forecast to receive well over 50mm. 'Rainfall is starting to shift, moving further to the north. We are seeing spotty and isolated downpours. So, keep the umbrella on hand as it moves north with coastal showers moving up into Brisbane,' said Sky News Weather Meteorologist Marina Neuman. 'That will continue throughout the afternoon and into your evening commute times, so you will need the umbrella on hand and definitely throughout the week. 'We will see that system move out of the Outback and going to produce some showers for portions of Queensland.' Hervey Bay is predicted to get 20mm on Friday, with a further 50mm possible on Saturday. In Bundaberg, two-day totals could exceed 65mm, while weather forecasters are closely monitoring areas that may experience far more intense rainfall depending on the movement of the coastal low. While the initial downpour is expected to ease by Sunday, the broader system is only getting started. The northwest cloud band is dragging a thick stream of tropical moisture from the Indian Ocean, with its reach extending into New South Wales. — Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) August 6, 2025 This second pulse of rain will bring further wet conditions and see temperatures tumble across the region. 'On Thursday we will start to see some widespread showers moving across Charlesville and pushing into the east,' Neuman said. 'There will be some widespread and heavy falls at times with showers produced across Moree and Bourke, but focusing on Queensland, this is partially from that cloud band, and what we also have is an offshore trough. That is going to produce some heavy rainfall from Mackay, all the way down to Bundaberg. 'In terms of how much rainfall, from Rockhampton, all the way down to Lismore, we are looking at about 50mm and we could see a few isolated areas along the coast, some even seeing 75mm of rain.' The sudden change in weather will also see an unseasonal chill sweep across parts of Queensland. Thargomindah, in the far southwest Channel Country, is forecast to reach just 18C on Friday, well below its August average of 23.1C. Coastal wind warnings have been issued for the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Capricornia regions. 'It'll also be cooler because of the increasing winds, increasing clouds and some of the showers and rain,' Ms Pumpa added While wind alerts remain in place, hazardous surf warnings have been lifted for beaches along the Gold Coast, though conditions are expected to remain rough heading into the weekend. Authorities are urging Queenslanders to stay alert to forecast updates, particularly in flood-prone areas or locations directly impacted by the low-pressure system.
SBS Australia
4 hours ago
- SBS Australia
What will the weather be like in spring? Here's what the BoM predicts
Warm, wet weather has been predicted for most parts of mainland Australia as the country heads into spring. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has released its long-range forecast for August to October, which shows that rainfall is likely to be above average for most of the country — except for the west and far south-east. For parts of Australia, including southern Queensland, the southern Northern Territory, and parts of eastern South Australia, there is also an increased chance of unusually high rainfall. It's also likely that this period will be warmer than usual for most of northern, western and south-eastern Australia. Unusually hot temperatures are expected across far northern Australia and Tasmania. While northern NSW, southern Queensland and eastern South Australia may be in for colder than average weather during the day, most of Australia will experience warm nights. BoM meteorologist Masoud Edraki told SBS News that Australia has had above-average warm conditions for "many months" and that trend will continue. What's happening in the climate The BoM also released the climate indicators it uses to build these long-range forecasts. While Edraki said the indicators are "very complex", the weather across August to October is partly being driven by high sea surface temperatures that are being experienced around the globe. In June, the temperatures in the oceans surrounding Australia were the second-warmest on record since observations began. Last year, Australia's sea surface temperatures were the warmest on record, reaching around 0.89C above average. This year small patches of the ocean off Australia's south-west and in the Coral Sea — off Australia's north-east coast — have recorded temperatures 3C warmer than average. This year, parts of the ocean surrounding Australia are ranging up to 3C higher than average. A marine heatwave in South Australia that has persisted since September has been blamed as the cause behind a toxic algal bloom that spanned four-and-a-half thousand square kilometres in May. The algal bloom is thought to have killed tens of thousands of marine animals, according to Deputy Premier of South Australia Susan Close. While the El Niño–Southern Oscillation is currently in a neutral phase, this is likely to change later in the year. "It's predicted in the following months, in the late spring and summertime, it will get closer to the La Niña range," Edraki said, which will contribute to the wet weather.
ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
Thargomindah residents still living in caravans months after flood disaster
Deep in the Queensland outback, families are living in caravans as they try to rebuild their homes four months after catastrophic flooding. Standing in the mud-strewn shell of her home, Megan Riley finds it difficult to talk about it. In April, the entire population of Thargomindah was evacuated to an airstrip as they watched a temporary levee break and a torrent of water swallow the town. Out of more than 100 houses, only 12 were left unscathed. Ms Riley was one of the last people to return to her newly renovated home. She found it ruined. "As soon as I opened the door, I knew it was all gone … it was heartbreaking," Ms Riley said. Four months on, she is living in one of 32 caravans provided by the council and state government. Her house, which belonged to her grandparents, will have to be knocked down. But rather than rebuild, Ms Riley said she would truck in a relocatable house. "The plan is to lift the new house out of the flood line and not experience anything like this again." Local tradesman Geoff Pike runs the only trade services company in Thargomindah and has been working non-stop to rebuild the town since the flood. "We've been slammed … it's been full on," he said. Mr Pike said compared to Brisbane, it generally costs about double to build in Thargomindah due to the cost of getting materials to the site. "You're adding 1,000 kilometres, and it's generally an empty truck on the way back," he said. But Mr Pike said it was not a lack of supplies that was slowing down the town's recovery — it was a critical shortage of accommodation. To help, Mr Pike has coordinated a transportable work camp to be trucked to Thargomindah from Brisbane. He said it would accommodate around 18 workers and significantly speed up the town's rebuild. "We're trying to get in front of that curve and get people into houses before summer hits," Mr Pike said. Queensland's peak building sector body Master Builders said prefabricated and modular houses were becoming more common in rural areas. General manager of policy and advocacy Dyan Johnson said modular homes could help "plug the gap" in traditional construction in the bush. "It really does fit that need of being able to meet … labour and supply challenges because you can centralise your construction a lot more," she said. "If there are not enough trades on the ground, if it is too difficult and time-constrained to get the supplies out there, modular can be a solution." Bulloo Shire Council purchases one transportable house a year to increase housing supply in Thargomindah, costing around $700,000. Mayor John "Tractor" Ferguson estimated a house built from scratch would cost close to $1 million to construct, but would be worth less than $200,000 when complete. "The biggest problem here is all the on-costs: your tradies have got to get here, then they've got to stop here, then you've got freight, and your concrete is so much dearer out here," he said. "Bringing all that stuff out, it nearly doubles the price of the house." In a town without many tradespeople, residents had rolled up their sleeves and gotten to work restoring local businesses. Motel owner Paul Sparks said he did not have a clue where to start when he saw the extent of the flood damage to his business. "We needed new carpets, to rip the floors out, rip the walls out, all the furniture was wrecked, the vanities, the cupboards," he said. "I thought we were just going to go bankrupt." It makes Mr Sparks emotional to remember the weeks following, when friends, family, neighbours, even strangers, gathered to clean up the motel. "The police officers helped pull the beds out and load skips … a young couple helped rip the carpets out … they were such a great help," he said. "The help and the community getting together was fantastic — it's been pretty overwhelming."
