After heatwave, summer snow and coldest February in a decade

An unseasonal cold front, moving north out of the Southern Ocean, brought chilly, squally winds and strong showers to coastal regions of Victoria on February 19 and 20, 2017, and about 5 to 10 cm (2 – 4 inches) of summer snow to the NSW and Victorian High Country, Australia. However, the summer is still not over, as hot and windy conditions are expected back in the region on Wednesday, February 22, bringing severe to extreme fire danger over much of Victoria.

Temperatures dropped sharply as the cold front moved in, making several Victorian towns record their coldest ever overnight temperatures on Sunday night, February 19.

On the same day, Melbourne recorded its coldest February day in 12 years, reaching just 17.3 °C (63.1 °F). This wintry blast in Victoria also brought a record minimum to Swan Hill with just 5.5 °C (41.9 °F).

Overall, it was about 9 °C (16.2 °F) lower than the average temperature for this time of year.

BOM's senior forecaster Dean Stewart said that summer snow occurs about once every five years. "It's unusual for it to snow at this time of the year, but not unprecedented," he said. “When we get cold bursts of air coming from the Southern Ocean they can be cold enough to produce snow.”

Snow was reported in Victorian alpine areas of Mount Hotham, Falls Creek and Mount Buller as temperatures dropped from warm highs of 20 °C (68 °F) to as low as -2 °C (28.4 °F). Mount Hotham recorded 5 – 10 cm (2 – 4 inches) of snow accumulation.

BOM Victoria said today the weather is warming up again, with windy 34 °C (93.2 °F) expected soon. "Hot, windy weather will give severe to extreme fire danger over much of Victoria Wednesday."

With that, fire bans are back in force.

Featured image: Summer snow – Mount Hotham on February 19, 2017. Credit: Hotham

Related articles

• Severe storm hits Victoria leaving a trail of destruction, 2 people dead and more than 200 000 homes without power, Australia Friday, June 11, 2021
• Widespread flooding after a year’s worth of rain in just three days, South Australia Monday, January 24, 2022
• Widespread damaging and locally destructive winds, including potentially multiple small and fast-moving tornadoes hit South Australia Monday, July 26, 2021
• Wettest spring since 2010 and the wettest November since records began in 1900, Australia Wednesday, December 1, 2021
• Unseasonably heavy rain hits Queensland, Australia Wednesday, May 11, 2022
• Unprecedented flooding continues, very dangerous thunderstorms with giant hail, destructive winds and heavy rain forecast for SE Queensland, Australia Thursday, March 3, 2022
• Tropical Cyclone “Tiffany” to make landfall over the far north Queensland, Australia Sunday, January 9, 2022
• Tropical Cyclone “Anika” forecast to re-intensify, make another landfall in Western Australia Monday, February 28, 2022
• Tropical Cyclone “Anika” forecast to make landfall over the northern Kimberley coast, Western Australia Saturday, February 26, 2022
• Rare M5.9 earthquake hits near Melbourne, Australia Wednesday, September 22, 2021
• Phenomenal rainfall totals hit parts of Australia, residents urged to brace for more rain and potential flooding Wednesday, November 10, 2021
• Parts of southeast Australia shiver through coldest May mornings on record Tuesday, June 1, 2021