Antarctic cold front roaring our way, with snow above 800 to 900m ‘very likely’

SNOW WAY! An icy cold blast will hit the region on Tuesday night and make its way across the Northern Rivers from the west. But will we actually get the white stuff? We asked the experts at BOM.

SNOW JOKE: Colder temperatures are predicted to blast through the Northern Rivers this week with a chance of snow falling above about 900m.

If you think it’s cold now, be prepared to dig out the hot water bottle and rug up as the Bureau of Meteorology reckons we could have snow on the way.

The last time snow is thought to have fallen on the Northern Rivers was in 1984.

On Monday, Bureau of Meteorology Forecaster Melody Sturm confirmed that a cold front which started way below Tasmania is roaring its way toward the Northern Rivers after taking a detour out west.

This cold front is now on its way to chill out the Northern Rivers.

Ms Strum said snow is “very likely in areas above 900m near the coast and above 800m further inland.”

She said that as Mt Warning was more than 1150m high, there is very real chance a dusting of snow may adorn the highest peak on the Northern Rivers,

“We will see a really icy cold front, an Arctic blast, on Tuesday evening make its way across the Northern Rivers from the west,” she said.

“We will really feel the effect on Wednesday.”

Ms Strum said “inland areas will definitely take the brunt of this low pressure system.”

She said Wednesday and Thursday nights will “require another doona on the bed.”

“Lismore is predicted to get down to 3.6, Murwillumbah 5.7 and Grafton 4.2,” Ms Strum said.

”But compared to Tenterfield which will be minus with a maximum of 7.6, the Northern Rivers are not that cold.

“However, Thursday will be the coolest and we may get rain which will become snow above 900m.”

Ms Strum said if snow falls at Mt Warning, it will stay for long enough to throw a few snowballs and build a few snowmen.

The icy blast will keep the snow in place for a short while, she said.

“If there 5mm or 10mm of rain then you can often see the equivalent in snow falling higher up,” she said.

“So snow definitely about 900m and possibly even above 800m if the temperature drops low enough.”

1984