Polar Blast 2nd Round: June 3 - 10

[Blackee]

Nice storm outbreak currently in the NE would bode well for thunder snow. Falls and Hotham should report large snow accumulations by morning I'd suspect with reported rain totals 50-60mm range in that region so far today.

Wouldn't be surprised if the Hotham - Harrietville road was closed for a time in the morning. Enjoying the wet, early onset of winter

[StratoBendigo]

Hotham are reporting 53cm of snow in the past 48 hours. And more coming in the next week. They're likely to crack 1m snow base before too long.

Falls Creek also copped it.

[snowfall]

Looking forward to another cold week. We had just over 11mm on the weekend, with the rainfall being a bit leaner on the southern slopes compared to the central and northern sections of the Macedon ranges.

Made it to 10.2c here today and currently 7.8c with the occasional shower. The average temp over the past 7 days has been 6.2c, with most days failing to get above 10c. Feeling very wintry, which is a good thing! And great to see all the snow in the alps.

[hillybilly]

Slow on the posts as I’ve been slammed by covid. Second time I’ve had it in eight weeks. Last time was mild… like a cold, this time a shocker like a high end flu. Hope this doesn’t become the new normal

Cold air really set in here now. 3.6mm last 24 hours. Yesterday started mild with an early max of 10C, but fell to 5 or 6C for the arvo following the change. Today looks bitterly cold, with EC showing a max of 6C. Does get cold enough for snow tonight with EC showing a couple of cm, but suspect more likely to be just the odd flake. Current obs suggest snow locally to about 200m on some of the southern valleys.

Front for Saturday night is currently around 2C colder than the last solid snow event down here in 2020. 850Ts dropping to -8C or so. Should see widespread sea level snow

[stevco123]

Those snow cams... especially Buller and Baw Baw.

They'll have trouble opening to the masses on the weekend if this keeps up

[StratoBendigo]

It's up there with 2000 and 1968 for an epic start to winter.

25mm here since Friday night. So cold....

[snowfall]

Hope you're feeling better soon HB.

Just snuck up to 6.8c here as the sun popped out, but otherwise it's cold with the odd shower and quite a bitter wind chill. Picked up 1.8mm with the showers earlier this morning.

[Skywalker]

We have really copped it today at work, constant showers & it's bitterly cold!

[stevco123]

Can report small slushy pellets (or hail as others would call it). Temp dropped down to 7 degrees now

[Onetahuti]

Frequent though generally short lived showers today totalling 12.6 mm since since midnight. Certainly chilly, currently 10.9°C so not quite the coldest of season so far. Normally I do voluntary work at the nursing home where the partner resides on a Tuesday but as they are still in lockdown with Covid I am having the day at home thus avoiding the elements.

[Asher]

It appears to have topped out at 10.1 today. I was having coffee this morning while it was pelting down, and freezing when I checked the temperature 7c and an apparent temp of .8. Icy.

I can’t get warm today. Seriously considering breaking out the snow gear for tomorrow. It may not be snowing, but it’s brutally cold.

[hillybilly]

Max’s out here with 7.4C. Been around 4C most the arvo with frequent rain, sleet and snow showers. Never quite changed to just snow being bout a degree too warm. Around here snows visibly settled to about 400m, and would put the snow falling line at about 100m. Just on 5mm in the gauge.

The set ups really favour the ranges southwest of Hobart with lists of 20mm plus falls today. Must be some deep snow about the higher parts of Snug tier.

Still looking at sea level snow for Saturday and Sunday

[Macedonian]

Today was our tenth day in a row without going over 6C.
We had 1.7C min to 4.7C max at Mt Macedon today.
Our av July max is around 6.5C, so this is a pretty cold snap for early June.

[Pengaz]

44mm for us from Saturday through to this morning.

Seems to be clearing a bit now, we have really benefited from the south west flow of showers. Had some nice grunty dumpers coming through all day yesterday.

76.75mm for June to date. Looks like we might get another 10-20mm before the end of the week.

[StratoBendigo]

Lake Mountain is reporting a snow depth of 70cm with all trails open. Almost up there with Early June 2000 when 80-90cm was on the ground. A very similar synoptic setup to that memorable event.

Sunday sees another surge of very cold air from the South, although it's very much an Eastern Vic clipper due to ridging out from the High. I can see some cold nights next week.

[hillybilly]

Today was our tenth day in a row without going over 6C.
We had 1.7C min to 4.7C max at Mt Macedon today.
Our av July max is around 6.5C, so this is a pretty cold snap for early June.

How’s the snow cover? Down here there’s been snow on the ground above 600m for about three days. Some should last til at least Tuesday or Wednesday next week with repeated shots of cold air.

Last nights snow seem to have settled to about 400m. Friends at 350m didn’t get a cover, but friends at 450m had an inch or so this morning. Would be less than a degree difference between those. Some spots in valleys probably did a bit better with cold air trapped.

8mm in the gauge. Been a really wet six weeks down here with nearly 200mm. Dams are full and the horse paddock resembles a rice paddy despite being on a slope

[stevco123]

Reports of snow flurries in the CBD yesterday. The footage is compelling enough. BoM says it is probably just "hail", but come on... looks like the real stuff to me.

[StratoBendigo]

We just got to 10c today. The past 11 days have been very cold compared to average.

Some interesting discussion about the impact of the Tongan Volcano kicking about too regarding the impact the increase in water vapor in the Stratosphere may have had on irradiance:
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/13/6/912 ... 1654339471

"Though the Tonga eruption had insignificant impacts on the global climate according to the weak intensity of SO2 injection, a large amount of water vapor in the stratosphere posts extreme challenges for stratospheric chemistry and radiation budget. Future studies are required to assess the potential effects of this stratospheric injected hydration event."

[Petros]

Another 4.25mm last night takes us to 22.75 of un-needed rain here in Nth Gippsland. Bloody cold, wind although fresh, hasn't been damaging here for this period so far.

Locally the Macalister R/Gippsland lakes is receiving the most prolonged flush (2 months now) that I've seen for decades for this time of year, as Southern Rural Water attempt to keep Lake Glenmaggie below 60% - at the start of a winter water harvest season that already has snow 50cm+ over most of its alpine catchment.

Global warming? - I suggest people spend some time studying the history of sunspots, this is playing out as per repeated long term historical cycles.

[Gordon]

Been a crazy week with all sorts of early winter records. Our firewood consumption index is at an all time high for any month.

Another bitter day here with 7C max (briefly!}, but ironically, only a few light snowfalls for the dates and nothing settled. 40mm for the dates and climbing.