Large parts of the nation are keeping an eye on rising floodwaters, but one state is dealing with vastly different conditions.
An unseasonably icy blast has dusted Tasmania with sea-level snow and delivered record-breaking lows just two weeks out from summer.
Some residents woke to snow as low as sea level, while temperatures at Kunanyi/Mount Wellington near Hobart dropped to -6 degrees.
The Bureau of Meteorology said preliminary data suggested a few November minimum temperature records had been broken, with Hobart dropping to 2.9C at 5:39am – the coldest November temperature since 1953.
The overnight snow dump was widespread and particularly thick at Cradle Mountain, with sleet and snow flurries reportedly recorded at sea level at Port Arthur.
The Antarctic blast also swept across the alpine regions of Victoria and NSW.
Bushwalkers were advised that snow as low as 200m was expected.
Senior meteorologist Sarah Scully said the snow was expected to retreat to elevations above 700m slowly during the day.
Hazardous conditions are, however, expected to occur in parts of the Western and Central Plateau forecast districts, with Tasmania Police closing the Zeehan Highway near Anthony Rd.
The Pinnacle Rd to the Mt Wellington summit was closed at Bracken Lane.
The cold snap comes as large parts of inland NSW keep an eye on rising river levels, with the central west town of Forbes preparing to evacuate.
Originally published as Tassie shivers through remarkable sea-level snow event as cold front sweeps across southern states
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