Ferocious winds and heavy rain wreaked havoc across southern and eastern Australia on Monday night, with a polar blast bringing an icy end to autumn.
In Sydney, gusts of up to 90km/h lashed parts of the city on Monday evening, tearing down power poles and tree branches.
The State Emergency Service received 380 requests for assistance across the evening, and thousands of homes remained without power across New South Wales on Tuesday morning. A warning for more damaging winds in northern NSW was issued on Tuesday morning.
The wild weather was also felt across the eastern seaboard, with nearly 7,000 homes in Darling Downs and Granite Belt in southern Queensland losing power overnight, because of the winds.
A severe weather warning would remain current for damaging winds in the Stanthorpe and Toowoomba area right across to Maroochydore and then also Brisbane and the Gold Coast into Tuesday morning, the Bureau of Meteorology said.
In Melbourne, the city faced its coldest day of the year, with a forecast top of 12C – as the cold snap brought snow across the alpine region.
And in South Australia, a severe weather warning remained in place across most of the state, after it was hit by intense rain, ferocious winds and a small tornado.
The tornado hit the northern suburbs of Adelaide on Monday, ripping through power lines. Wind gusts of 72km/h were recorded at Adelaide airport.
It was forecast to be a chilly end to autumn on Tuesday, with the cold system set to intensify, bringing with it snow in NSW and Victoria.
Maximum temperatures were expected to be 3-6C below the May average, including in areas as far inland as southern Queensland and southern Northern Territory.
Severe weather warnings were still in place across the four eastern states, the BoM said.
“Residents of south-east South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and eastern NSW and parts of southern Queensland will be impacted by this system,” it said.
“Significant snow and rain with possible severe thunderstorms and hail is also expected … mostly impacting western and central NSW, and western Victoria and Melbourne.”
Snow was expected to fall on Tuesday to levels as low as 600-700 metres across Victoria, Tasmania and south-east NSW, and above 800m in the NSW central tablelands.
Significant snow on alpine peaks of 20-50cm was likely with blizzard conditions.
The bureau warned the low-level snow and windy conditions would create particularly hazardous driving conditions, with inland highways likely to be hit by sleet.
The cold front was also bringing large swells that were set to batter most of the southern Australian mainland, in particular, South Australia and western Victoria.
Severe weather warnings for damaging wind gusts were in place for much of South Australia, NSW and northern Victoria.
“These areas have also recently seen significant rainfall meaning winds over sodden catchments may see fallen trees [and] powerlines and impacts to caravans and motorhomes,” the BoM said.
“There will likely be damage to property and weakened trees, with possible flash-flooding due to blocked drains.”
The damaging winds were likely to ease late on Wednesday.
With Australian Associated Press
