Severe weather, including rare snowfall reported in Queensland, Australia
Image credit: BOM
A deepening Tasman low combined with a strong high in the Great Australian Bight, bringing windy and cold conditions to New South Wales and Queensland, Australia on June 3, 2019. A rare occurrence of snow was reported in near the NSW-QLD border at Eukey, just south of Stanthorpe.
Severe weather warnings were issued for a 1 000 km (620 miles) stretch of the coast, including Sydney, NSW and people urged to stay indoors amid heavy rain and gale-force winds.
Near-freezing temperatures and snowfall were reported at Eukey, just south of Stanthorpe. This is near the New South Wales – Queensland border, about 220 km (136 miles) SW of Brisbane.
Possible #snow flurries and fresh winds will make for freezing conditions around the higher terrain south of #Stanthorpe tomorrow morning as a cold front brings wintry conditions to #Queensland. Stay warm! #WinterIsHere pic.twitter.com/rgg2rm6H12
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) June 2, 2019
Will it snow in #Qld for the first time since 2015? A deepening Tasman low combined with a strong high in the Bight will bring windy and cold conditions to #Queensland – with the possibility of #snow flurries near #Stanthorpe – tomorrow. See https://t.co/iAMBKdsccZ for forecasts. pic.twitter.com/vuMHsGJSaI
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) June 3, 2019
A few snowflakes seen this morning near the NSW border at Eukey, just south of #Stanthorpe. Snow is rare in QLD but does happen from time to time, mostly near the border. The last significant snowfall was back in 2015
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) June 3, 2019
Why is it so cold today? Part of the reason is the wind-chill factor, making the apparent temperature (or 'feels like' temperature) very low. #Toowoomba was 3°C this morning but felt like -6°C. Explore your local feels like temp forecast on MetEye https://t.co/dsWkvZ5CTv pic.twitter.com/lKcRDINxqm
— Bureau of Meteorology, Queensland (@BOM_Qld) June 4, 2019
While snow is rare in Queensland, it does happen from time to time, mostly near the border, BOM said. The last significant snowfall there was back in 2015.
"Snowfall in Queensland, driven by colder air from the south, was an unusual occurrence in a state with a sub-tropical to tropical climate, but in the south of the state, particularly near the New South Wales border, it's quite mountainous and in the elevated areas it can get quite cold," BOM Meteorologist Lachlan Stone told BBC.
BOM reported a very cold morning across the Darling Downs and Granite Belt, QLD with a few new May records set on May 31. Stanthorpe registered -6.9 °C (19.5 °F), Applethorpe -6.1 °C (21 °F), Oakey -4.4 °C (24 °F), Dalby -3.6 °C (25.5 °F). Warwick was at -4.9 °C (23.1 °F), close to its record -5.3 °C (22.4 °F) set in 1965.
Up to 5 cm (1.9 inches) were reported in the Blue Mountains region on June 3, NSW, forcing authorities to issue travel warnings and close a number of roads.
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Bit of a no news day really. Stanthorpe, Qld is always the first to get some snow (flurries) in a cold year. A real story will be a foot of it really messing with those Queenslanders’ heads!