Sweeping cold front brings snowfall, frigid temperatures

Spring is just nine days away, but snow flurries have fallen at lower elevations as another cold front blasts Victoria.

Snow has been reported in several areas across Victoria on Tuesday morning as the state was hit by a late blast of winter.

Just nine days out from spring, snow was reported in Bungaree, Ballarat, with light falls also expected as close to Melbourne as the Dandenongs.

The Omeo football ground was blanketed in snow just days before the Omeo and District Football-Netball League grand final.

Snow flurries down to 500m were forecast on Tuesday, caused by a “vigorous cold front” that moved across the state on Monday.

The cold front has sent the mercury plummeting and heavy rainfall across the state.

Temperatures dropped to as low as -4.7C at Mount Hotham and -4.4C at Mount Buller overnight on Monday, while Swan Hill recorded a low of 3.6C and Horsham 0.9C.

Across Melbourne, Ballarat was the coldest spot with the temperature dropping to 1.7C by 6am Tuesday.

The Gippsland town was transformed into a winter wonderland.

It comes as the Bureau of Meteorology issued a warning to sheep graziers on Tuesday morning for rain and cold temperatures expected to affect Northern Victoria and Gippsland areas.

“There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to these conditions,” the warning read.

Melbourne will hit a top of just 12C on Tuesday with heavy rain and a possible thunderstorm and hail to hit the city in the morning.

The mercury will fall to 7C overnight with a maximum of 13C on Wednesday and 14C on Thursday.

The Bureau last week declared there was a 70 per cent chance of a third consecutive La Nina year, meaning another wet year in store for Australia.

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