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Tasmania Welcomes Second Day Of Summer With Snow

Tasmania Welcomes Second Day Of Summer With Snow

Snow... at this time of year, at this time of day, in this part of the country?!

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

While parts of Australia sweltered through a debilitating heatwave over the weekend, it hasn't been felt that much in Tasmania.

The southernmost state in Australia has welcomed the second day of summer with... snow.

That's right, an area in the highlands has been blanketed in white frost in December.

The Great Lakes General Store has posted photos on Facebook showing how the area has copped a decent layer of snow.

What a way to start the summer... This is why we love Tasmania #coffeetime #greatlaketasmania #snow #staywarm

To be fair, the highlands never get that hot during summer, at least compared to the coastal areas or parts of the mainland. Temperatures range from 4C degrees to 17C degrees during the hot months, however it's still baffling to see snow so late in the year.

Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) meteorologist Tristan Oakley told the Tasmania Examiner why the state has largely missed the heatwave conditions loads of Aussies felt over the weekend.

"We have a low pressure system moving through Bass Strait and that's pushed a rain band especially over the northern parts of the state overnight and through Sunday morning," he said.

"Everywhere else across the country they don't have this low pressure system. They've had quite strong north-west to northerly winds which has dragged warm air from central Australia to northern parts of Victoria and into New South Wales.

"In this situation, because the low pressure system actually formed pretty much over Victoria, we were spared that really strong north-west and northerly wind that would've brought that heat down."

Snow was predicted for people living up to 900 metres above sea level.

Tassie will experience severe weather over the next few hours, with wind gusts of up to 110 to 120km/h hitting southern parts of the state.

Other parts of Australia would have been wishing for scenes like Tassie over the weekend as the mercury climbed into the high 40s in some areas.

Andamooka in South Australia reached a blistering 48C degrees on the weekend and Sydney broke a record for the hottest November night, with the temperature never dropping below 25.3C degrees.

BOM meteorologist Dean Narramore told the Washington Post: "While bursts of heat and heat waves are normal for this time of year, what's making this burst of heat exceptional is temperatures up to 18 degrees above average and many locations breaking records."

There is a concern that the high temperatures are just a start on what can be expected in summer.

Featured Image Credit: Great Lakes General Store/Facebook

Topics: Weather, News, Australia