Cold, wet and windy conditions to ‘linger’ in south, bushfire fears in north

Brisbane has been bathed in thick fog at the start of a warm week, but head further south and the cold weather, wind and rain are here to stay.

It's a chilly start to the week in much of southern Australia. Picture: BSCH.

Cold, wet and windy conditions will “linger” around Australia’s south for the beginning of the week with the chance of snow down to just 400 metres.

That’s due to a band of unsettled, miserable weather washing across Victoria and Tasmania in particular.

Further north, however, bushfires are the big danger with the mercury heading towards 30C. Brisbane woke this morning to thick fog, wrapping around buildings in the CBD smothering them from view. The Bureau of Meteorology called it a “real pea-souper”.

Brisbane was bathed in winter fog this morning with onlookers surveying the city from Mt Cootha. Picture: Annette Dew

Queensland’s capital could reach 28C today at the start of a sunny week, although Monday is likely to be the warmest day. An average August day in Brisbane is more like 23C.

It’s also warm across the border in northern New South Wales and that’s leading to elevated fire fears.

“These are dangerous conditions, some of the worst fire danger seen so far this season with plenty burning,” said Sky News Weather channel meteorologist Rob Sharpe this morning.

A number of bushfires are being fought in NSW, including a more than 6000-hectare blaze in Rappville, south of Casino, and a 5700-hectare fire in Kangaroo Creek near Grafton.

As you head south, however, the cold sets in. A relatively mild week in Sydney starts with a cool and windy Monday and a below average high of just 16C. Things warm up on Tuesday to 20C, but the temperature will struggle to get above that mark again until the weekend with minimums of 8-11C. Days will be partly cloudy.

Gusty winds could hit the NSW coast later in the week.

Winds are set to bring cold and wet weather to much of southern Australia this week. Picture: Windy.

COLD OR REALLY COLD

It’s chillier still in Canberra with a high of just 10C on Monday and 11C on Tuesday rising to a mere 15C by the end of the week. Dawn lows will seesaw between 3C and -3C — so, in summary, cold or really bloody cold.

Situated by the coast, Melbourne will be slightly warmer. But not by much and there will added rain. Heavy downpours struck the city yesterday and the odd burst can’t be ruled every day this week.

“The main front of the trough will be off and away (on Monday) but we’ll still have cold, wet and windy weather with showers lingering on,” said Mr Sharpe.

“There will be snow down to low levels across southern Victoria and the ranges into southern NSW.”

That could mean powder as low as 400 metres at the beginning of the week and also Wednesday.

In Melbourne, a high of 12C on Monday will rise to 15C on Wednesday with lows of 7-11C. But it could feel colder if the wind whips up.

Inland, you can shave a few degrees off those highs with Ballarat getting to just 8C on Monday.

It's a chilly start to the week in much of southern Australia. This temperature map for early Monday morning shows temperatures below 10C for much of the country Picture: BSCH

Even at 4pm on Monday, highs barely above 10C are forecast in parts of Victoria and Tasmania. Picture: BSCH

Across the Bass Strait, Tasmania is also looking at possible snowfall at lower levels. However, it will be wetter than the mainland on the Apple Isle with up to 30mm of moisture being deposited between Monday and Wednesday. A high of 11C is expected today in Hobart, increasing to 15C on Tuesday but then dipping down again. Lows of 7C falling to just 3C by the end of the week are forecast.

Expect strong, even gale force, winds on the state’s west coast for the beginning of the week, peaking on Wednesday.

There will be a few showers in South Australia as well, although less heavy than Tasmania. The mercury will hit 13C on Monday in Adelaide but should get to 18C by Friday with lows around the 10C mark.

Perth can expect a sunny start to the week. Maximums of 19C will rise to 25C by Friday but expect some heavy showers from midweek onwards. Expect a few chilly starts with a low of just 5C on Tuesday morning.

In the Top End, it will be 32C and sunny today with less humidity this week. Lows of around 18-20C are forecast for the week.