Cold snap threatens farm animals in NSW, South Australia

Farmers are being urged to keep their livestock warm as a freezing start to winter puts animals at risk.

A severe weather warning has been issued for Australia’s farmers as much of the nation suffers through another cold June day.

The Bureau of Meteorology sounded the alarm for farmers in NSW and South Australia warning icy temperatures could impact their livestock.

The BoM’s warning is for those living in the Northern Tablelands, South West Slopes and Snowy Mountains forecast districts of NSW.

“Sheep graziers are warned that cold temperatures and northerly winds are expected during Saturday and Sunday,” BOM said.

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

Snow near Orange, NSW on June 9, 2025. Source: @printhiewine / Instagram.

Queensland is in the middle of a cold snap that started on Thursday. Picture: WeatherWatch

It was a similar message for farmers in South Australia, including parts of the Mount Lofty Ranges district, who will also experience icy conditions with risk to lambs and sheep.

Chilling start to winter

Millions of Aussies have shivered through a cold snap that started across the King’s Birthday long weekend.

The mercury plunged in NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania before the system moved north hitting the sunshine state.

Residents in Bondi were rugged up during the King’s long weekend. Picture: NewsWire / Damian Shaw

Temperatures reached near record breaking lows in southeast Queensland on Friday, with the mercury dropping 5 to 8 degrees Celsius below average.

Friday was the coldest June day in the Brisbane CBD since 2002, warming to just 5.2 degrees.

Not only did the Brisbane freeze, temperatures dropped into the negative further west in the state with Ipswich suburb Amberley recording a low of -1.6 degrees while Oakey in Toowoomba fell to -5.1 degrees.

Sky News Australia’s Kaiser Shields said there is a chance of frost in southern Queensland until Monday when warmer weather and higher humidity sweeps across the state.

Will the cold weather last?

Despite a cold start to the year, the Bureau of Meteorology is actually predicting a mild and wet winter over the next few months.

Every state and territory is expected to have above average temperatures with Sydney, Perth and Melbourne having more than a 50 per cent chance of recording unusually high maximum temperatures from June to August.

BOM also says there will be warmer than average nights across Australia, with an increased chance of unusually high overnight temperatures.

But in return for the slightly warmer temperatures it will be a wet winter.

“Rainfall is likely to be above average for much of Australia, except in parts of the southeast and southwest,” BOM wrote.