Weather: best snow to fall on the NSW Alps

MAKE the most of the balmy weather today, because temperatures are about to tumble around much of NSW.

MAKE the most of the balmy weather today, because temperatures are about to tumble around much of NSW.

By tomorrow the best snow of the year will fall on the NSW Alps, there will be a dusting on the Blue Mountains and rare, heavy snow is set for central parts of the state.

A mass of very cold Antarctic air will surge across the state on Friday and should bring the heaviest snow so far this winter, Tom Saunders, Senior Meteorologist at The Weather Channel said this morning.

"Over 30cm is likely on the Alps during the next 72 hours, adding to the current base which now sits above 1.5 metres on the higher slopes,'' Mr Saunders said, Senior Meteorologist said.

Rare heavy snow should also spread to the New South Wales central ranges on Friday afternoon.

"By Saturday morning some higher areas of central west New South Wales could see around 10cm of fresh snow on the ground, including Oberon and Orange

Further east the Blue Mountains will pick up lighter falls but probably enough to dust Katoomba, Blackheath and Mt Victoria in a coating of white.

The snow will be accompanied by winds averaging around 30 km/h which will drop the apparent temperature below -5C along the ranges.

"Towns along the southern ranges of New South Wales can also expect a few centimetres of snow including Cooma, Bombala and Nimmitabel.

"It is unlikely Canberra will see snow with flakes likely to melt above the city before reaching the ground.''

The snowfalls will ease on Saturday and contract back to Alpine regions as the cold mass of polar air moves east into the Tasman Sea. Apart from alpine regions the snow will melt by Sunday.''

Sydney can expect top teemperatures of 18 or 19C on the weekend but strong south westerly winds will make it feel colder.