Melbourne’s wintry conditions have continued into the weekend, but there’s no need to pack away your sandals yet – the temperature should hit 20 degrees today and warmer weather is coming.
The weather bureau’s senior meteorologist Christie Johnson said the unseasonably cold weather was driven by a trough over the north-east of the state and a low coming from Antarctica, but that the worst of the blast passed over the city on Friday and was moving east towards Gippsland.
Storm clouds over Melbourne’s CBD on January 3.Credit:Luis Enrique Ascui for The Age
“It is pretty miserable out there, but it’ll improve into the afternoon as the cold air moves east [and] it’ll take the showers with it,” she said on Saturday morning.
“Basically, we had a cold front that came through Thursday night and that brought some really cold air up from the Southern Ocean up over us, and that is starting to move away now – but it’s still sort of hanging around a little bit.”
On Friday, temperatures across Victoria were 8 to 15 degrees below average. Several places recorded their coldest February days, said Johnson, including Mount Buller, which had its lowest maximum temperature for the month at 0.9 degrees.
Falls Creek recorded 0.3 degrees, its lowest for February in 33 years; Mount William in the Grampians reached 5.9 degrees; and at Geelong Racecourse the maximum was 15 degrees.
Summer snow on Mount Buller in the Victorian Alps.Credit:Nine News
Johnson said summer snow isn’t unheard of, and there may still be a dusting on high peaks in the Alpine regions on Saturday morning.
“We do get snow in summer, probably most years, although it’s much more common for it to come … in December rather than January or February,” she said.
Heavy rain and cold haven’t stopped outdoor events planned for Melbourne on Saturday, such as the Twilight Polo on West St Kilda beach, which a spokesperson confirmed will be going ahead.
“The weather has created a few challenges and headaches with the site build over the past few days,” they said. “No doubt there have been a few costume changes as well this morning, but the forecast for the 2pm kick-off is looking clear.”
The Laneway Festival at Flemington is also going ahead as planned, according to organisers.
Temperatures in Melbourne will steadily increase in the coming days, with an expected top of 25 degrees on Wednesday.
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