Welcome to cool charm: Winter arrives with a bang

TASMANIA has enjoyed a fast-forward start to winter with an outbreak of snowballs and rosy cheeks.

TASMANIA has enjoyed a fast-forward start to winter with an outbreak of snowmen and snowballs and rosy cheeks as a cold snap coated the elevated areas of the state in a chilly white blanket.

Snow fell to 300m on Mt Wellington and for those keen on the trip to the summit there was only disappointment because Pinnacle Road was closed at the Springs for most of the morning.

But snow-covered areas below the summit were enough for most, including Mexican tourist Myrna Garcia, making her first trip.

“It’s my first time in the snow and I’m really excited because it doesn’t snow where I live,” she said.

“It’s really pretty seeing all the trees covered with snow.”

Snowballs: Tourist Myrna Garcia, 21, of Mexico, enjoying the snow on Mt Wellington.

Elsewhere, Collinsvale resident Russell Venn was braving the cold with his nine-month-old daughter Lavinia yesterday morning.

“It’s quite nice, we’ve just come back from a holiday in Switzerland so we’ve come from sunny Switzerland to snowy Collinsvale,” Mr Venn said.

At the Great Lake Hotel at Miena in the state’s Central Plateau, venue licensee Kaylee Hattinger said they are expecting continued snow, with light snow falling most of yesterday.

“It’s been snowing and we have a mild to light coverage, it’s melting fast but it’s still cold enough to make your face ache,” she said.

Ben Lomond Alpine Hotel manager Megan Lourie said snow had been falling on the mountain since Sunday afternoon, with about 1cm of cover yesterday.

She also said many of the summit’s creeks had iced after temperatures as low as -7C.

“It’s not melting at all, it’s marvellous, a lot of cars have come up with people having coffee and having a look at the snow,” Ms Lourie said.

“I heard snow is predicted on and off throughout the week and although it’s not enough to ski on, we have a couple of snowmen around.”

Cool as a cucumber: A wombat takes a walk near Cradle Mountain.

Temperatures between 3C and 10C were recorded on the North-West Coast, East Coast and in the South yesterday, with a statewide road weather alert due to snow lifted in the afternoon.

Snow is expected to continue falling on Mt Wellington to 900m today and on the summit tomorrow.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Lauren Murphy said it was a typical start to winter, with the cold to continue over the next couple of days.

“It’s not out of the usual for this time of the year, we had snow falling to 300m overnight Sunday before moving to 500m by midday and receding to 1000m later but it will continue today,” Ms Murphy said.

Snow-covered mountains: Snow covers the hills and grass around Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain.

Showers are forecast in Hobart over the next two days with a maximum of 10C today and 11C tomorrow.

Thursday could reach 12C with cloud expected and Friday will see showers and a maximum of 14C.

After a top of 10C with morning frost yesterday, Launceston residents can expect a maximum of 12C over the next two days, with showers on Thursday and Friday.

RACT’s member assist general manager Darren Moody urged motorists to make sure their vehicles are road ready for winter.

“I think this time of year it’s important your car is in good condition in terms of tyres, wipers, demisters and washers and keeping your windscreen clean to tackle roads in wet weather,” Mr Moody said.

“It’s also good to double the two to three seconds following distance behind other cars.”

Interstate centres didn’t miss out yesterday, with close to 20cm of snow recorded at New South Wales ski resorts.

Snow was also recorded in Canberra and falls reached down to 600m around Melbourne’s mountain ranges yesterday.