Wynyard records its lowest temperature in more than 39 years as cold weather continues

Icy roads have been causing havoc as the Bureau of Meteorology warns of further overnight temperatures below freezing point.

Stunning images of a wintry Central Highlands. Image: Gill Dayton/ Tassie Apple Spice photography.

Freezing temperatures around Tasmania are set to continue until at least Monday, as several roads remain closed due to the icy conditions.

While not as cold as previous days, in the overnight period of Friday to Saturday, Liawenee recorded the state’s lowest temperature of minus 9.7 degrees.

The Great Lake Hotel, around 10 kilometres south of Liawenee, had pipes freeze and burst due to the cold weather.

The hotel was originally set to reopen on Saturday but will now be closed until Wednesday because there is no running water on the site.

Fingal and Cressy also had overnight temperatures of minus five degrees.

Meanwhile, Wynyard had a record low of minus four degrees since the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) started collecting data at the location more than 39 years ago.

Tasmania’s second biggest city, Launceston, got down to minus 3.7 degrees, while the state’s capital of Hobart stayed above freezing point at 2.7 degrees.

As of 11.58am on Saturday, Pinnacle Road at Mount Wellington, Paradise Road at Sheffield, and Atkinson Road at Grindelwald between Skyline Ave and the West Tamar Highway were all closed to traffic.

Stunning images of a wintry Central Highlands. Image: Gill Dayton/ Tassie Apple Spice photography.

Police said that “particular care should be exercised on the West Coast of Tasmania, which is currently subject to thick ice and snow”.

Emergency Services also responded to a crash on Golconda Road at Lilydale on Saturday Morning.

“Police are on the scene where a semi-trailer truck has left the road due to the icy surface,” police said.

“No person has been injured.”

BOM Meteorologist Ellie Mathews said there were multiple factors behind Tasmania’s unusually cold winter weather.

“The main and usual contributor to the frosty mornings in Tasmania is when we have a high-pressure ridge over the state, which is something that we’ve had over the state over the past week or so,” Ms Mathews said.

“That gives us the very still conditions - or light winds - with very clear skies, which gives us those very cool and frosty minimum temperatures during the overnight and early morning periods.

“But additionally to that ridge of high pressure that’s been very stationary over the state, we’ve had a cold air mass lingering over us, which actually originates from Antarctica from over 10 days ago.”

Stunning images of a wintry Central Highlands. Image: Gill Dayton/ Tassie Apple Spice photography.

Ms Matthews said that current forecasts indicated that the worst of the cold snap could be over by Monday afternoon.

“We’re expecting frosty mornings and relatively clear and sunny days for Sunday, and as that high-pressure system starts to move eastwards.

“By Monday, with the system towards the east, it will bring a north-easterly flow over the state.

“But for inland and more southern areas of the state, we will again see frosty mornings and relatively clear sunny skies for Monday.”

Ms Matthew said that once the high-pressure system goes out to sea, Tasmanians should brace for showers across parts of the state from Tuesday onwards.