Winter wonderland snow show, but how long will it last? BOM gives a forecast for the long weekend
Snow is falling in nearby towns, and overnight lows on the Northern Rivers may have broken records. So how cold is it going to get, and can we still go and see the white stuff?
Lismore
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If you are keen to see the snow, you may want to sneak off early from work today as the Bureau of Meteorology thinks we may have seen the worst winter can bring.
BOM is predicting warmer weather for the region, although snow is predicted to stick around in the southern parts of New South Wales.
According to some Northern Rivers residents who made the trek, there’s plenty of the white stuff at Guyra, Tenterfield and Ben Lomond near Glen Innes – and they sent us the photos to prove it.
Lismore resident Laura Cahill took her youngsters Kiani Small, Jonah Mitchell and Kalli Small to play in the snow at Guyra, where they had loads of fun.
Phil, 60, who lives east of Kyogle at Cawongla, sent us some photos from his 291km road trip to Ben Lomond, south of Glen Innes with his fur buddy.
“I drove (with my dog Tarla) from Cawongla to Ben Lomond chasing the snow,” he said.
“I wanted Tarla to see the snow for the first time, but I don’t like the cold much myself.”
Phil said Tarla seemed to have fun.
“There were other people there too,” he said.
“Tarla actually ran off a snowball that someone threw.”
He said he met some people who had driven nearly 500km over seven hours to see the snow.
“A lady from Bribie Island, Queensland, was there with her family and dog, it was very festive,” he said.
“Afterwards I stopped off in Glen Innes for a much needed hot coffee and muffin, I was so cold.”
Where to see the snow
The closest fresh snow is at Mt Mackenzie near Tenterfield, some 126km or about a two-hour drive each way from Lismore
Other spots include Ben Lomond, 291km pr about 3.5 hours each way from Lismore and Guyra which is 311km or four hours each way from Lismore.
Tenterfield Shire’s acting marketing and communications manager, Emma Johnson, said snow fell at Mt Mackenzie from about 4pm on June 10.
Ms Johnson said as the snow fell, the excitement of residents and visitors rose.
“It was a light dusting but enough to excite our locals and visitors that were lucky enough to be in region at the time,” she said.
“Businesses in the main township have been busy with the numbers of visitors travelling south down the New England Highway, especially with the snowfall south of Tenterfield in Glen Innes and Guyra.
“Our local cafes and restaurants have had the fireplaces going, creating a cosy atmosphere for those retreating from the cold.”
Ms Johnson said the thought of snow had been exciting for many residents.
“As the last big snowfall here was in 2015 (and) since then we’ve just had a small amount in June 2019,” she said.
“So far this week, we’ve only seen a very light dusting, but who knows what the winter ahead will bring.”
Ms Johnson said the visitor information phones “were running off the hook yesterday asking about snow and road conditions”.
“Our advice to travellers and snow-chasers has been to download the Live Traffic NSW app for the most up-to-date road info,” she said.
“And to drive to conditions, as the weather has been wet and windy at times.”
On June 11, LiveTraffic reported the New England Highway reopened in both directions between Armidale and Glencoe after snow and ice earlier.
Additionally, Guyra Rd has reopened between Baldersleigh Rd and New Valley Rd.
Motorists are advised to be prepared for sudden changes in conditions.
For the latest traffic information, download the new version of the Live Traffic NSW app, visit www.livetraffic.com or call 132 701.
Overnight temperatures down, down, down
Meanwhile, if you were reaching for the doona early on Friday morning, you were not alone.
BOM meteorologist Neale Fraser said overnight low temperatures could “set a record” in some part of northern New South Wales.
Mr Fraser said the overnight temperatures on Thursday were a bit chilly.
“Lismore reached 3.0, Grafton was 2.4 and Casino enjoyed a low of 5.2,” he said.
“The ground temperature is quite cool but if you go up in a balloon, the air is much warmer.”
While nearby towns such as Tenterfield were rejoicing to receive a dusting of snow on nearby Mt MacKenzie, its unlikely that snow will fall on the Northern Rivers, Mr Fraser said.
“We may have seen the coldest weather by now,” he said.
“While here have been some cold starts on the Northern Rivers, the daytime temperatures will be in the high teens and low 20s.”
Mr Fraser said Northern Rivers residents can look forward to enjoying plenty of sunshine over the long weekend.
“A high pressure system means some fairly chilly nights,” he said.
“Lismore can expect 4 degrees overnight while Grafton will be at 2 degrees tonight,” he said.
“Over the next few days Murwillumbah will have the highest temperatures with most days around the low 20s.
“The Northern Rivers is unlikely to see any changes until next Thursday when there’s a real chance of rain.”
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