‘Antarctic Vortex’ blankets NSW in white as ski resorts get dumped on

NSW shivered through an Antarctic Vortex and endured a night of ­“thundersnow” but worse is yet to come.

NSW has shivered through an Antarctic Vortex and endured a night of ­“thundersnow” but it seems the worst could still be yet to come for NSW.

Snow fell as low as 700m in NSW. There was five to 10cm around Orange in the central west, and a bonanza for alpine resorts starved of decent snowfalls so far this winter.

Another low pressure ­system is moving in to deliver more frosty conditions this week.

It ain’t calf hot! Cows chill out in a snowfall at Ingebirah in Southern NSW after a promise of Antarctic weather predicted by the weather bureau is fulfilled. Picture: DIIMEX

Dusting of snow: Large swathes of NSW had a snowfall overnight. Picture: DIIMEX

Thredbo has seen fresh and abundant snowfall overnight: The snow resort saw 25cm of fresh snow overnight. Picture: Supplied

Snowboarders are up and out! More than 40cm has fallen over the entire course of the latest cold snap. Picture: Supplied

But not easy on the homeless: Shane Meeham tries to keep warm living on the streets homeless during winter. Picture: Jeremy Piper

It was snowballs at 10 paces yesterday as dozens of towns were blanketed in the white stuff as temperatures dropped below zero in parts of the southern, central and ­northern tablelands.

Towns such as Guyra, on the northern tablelands, and Lithgow, in the shadow of the Blue Mountains, were ­transformed by up to two centimetres of snow while the central west city of Orange was transformed into a winter wonderland.

Sopare a thought for those outside

CAMARADERIE is helping  keep many of Sydney’s homeless warm.

Peter Reynolds, 67, has been bedding down on the NSW Supreme Court’s King St  terrace for a year and  there’s one reason he keeps coming back.  “I sleep here for a reason. I trust these blokes,” Mr Reynolds said.

“When you’re  in an environment of people who are trustworthy, it’s ...  a remarkable feeling.”

With a jumper,  sleeping bag, rug and a mattress, he is among the 365 rough sleepers, at last count, living rough in the city. In the middle of the night tucked away in the court’s shadows he has, by standards foreign to the average person, privacy.

“What you might be thinking of ‘sleeping out’ is Woolworths or the park,” Mr Reynolds said.

Around the corner, 27-year-old Shane Meehan is perched on steps at the back door of St James’ Church. Unlike Mr Reynolds, he prefers to be alone. “It’s easier to stay warm when you’re alone. It’s a comfort thing,” Mr Meehan said.

“I sleep from church to church, it  depends on the weather. If there are blankets, here’s good. That church there (St Mary’s Cathedral) is all right.”

Before settling in for the night, Mr Meehan stared out at the skyline  and said:  “Things could be worse but things could be better.”

“A week ago I was walking through the city and I thought to myself, the city has come a long way in 200 years.”

For people like Mr Meehan, it has a long way to go.

Several major roads were affected by snow and black ice, with motorists urged to ­exercise caution on the Great Western Highway between Bathurst and Lithgow, the Federal Highway near ­Canberra and Kosciuszko Rd in the Snowy Mountains.

A dusting was even ­recorded as far north as Mt Mackenzie, on the outskirts of Tenterfield, near the ­Queensland border.

Meanwhile widespread rain was welcomed by farmers around the state.

Bureau of Meteorology NSW forecaster Helen Kirkup said temperatures were below average.

“The snow along the ranges has been significant,” she said.

Jack Gallagher 4 from Tenterfield can't believe that it snowed on Mt Mackenzie. Picture: Adam Head

Meanwhile, Leo builds a Snowman in Orange. Picture: Supplied

Tenterfield Mayor Peter Petty said the snow had ­attracted hundreds of tourists to the town and had filled pubs and motels, and kept ­coffee shops busy for most of the weekend.

“I have just come through the main street and the place is buzzing,” he said. “People have come from all over to see the snow.’’

The snow followed a night of storms that battered the Sydney region, and a dramatic thundersnow event — where snow falls during an electrical storm — in the Blue Mountains.

Hours later the state awoke to temperatures, as low as -4.5 in Sydney and a state-low of -5.8 at Thredbo.

Thredbo Resort communications manager Susie Diver said temperatures lingered about -5 for most of the day.

And with a 22cm dumping of snow, Ms Diver said it was by far the day of the season on the slopes with some branding the weather event a “Snownami”.

“When we woke up this morning, the village was just blanketed in white,’’ she said.

“There were kids doing snow angels, making snowmen and just having a really great time.”

Snow fight! With plenty of the white stuff falling overnight after a slow start to the season skiers are celebrating. Picture: supplied

Temperatures are expected to remain low today, with showers tipped for most of the state. Bureau of Meteorology metrologist Helen Kirkup said more freezing conditions were expected tomorrow, as ­another low pressure system moved across NSW.

“In general it will be slightly warmer but we will still ­expect to see snowfalls over higher areas,’’ she said. “There is another front coming through, around Tuesday night and with that we will probably see ­temperatures drop again.’’

The weather event could not have come at a better time for thousands of children across the state, who spent the final day of their winter school holidays playing in the snow.

Lilly, Charlie and Ava Sutton spent the morning making a snowman at home in Orange.

Lilly, 13, said she had seen snow in Orange before but never so heavy. “We went straight outside in the morning to build a snowman,’’ she said.