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Australia is bracing for an unusually wintry start to summer, with snow forecast across parts of Tasmania and the alpine regions as early as Monday, December 1.
Tasmania experienced snowfall again on Thursday morning — the fifth time this month — continuing what has been an unexpectedly cold November across the southern states. The persistent cold may soon intensify, with another strong front expected just in time for summer’s arrival.
Over the past month, a series of cold fronts from the Southern Ocean have repeatedly pushed north, delivering weather more typical of winter. As a result, cities including Adelaide, Melbourne, Hobart, and Canberra are currently recording average maximums between 0.5°C and 2°C below normal as of November 27.
🌨 More Snow on the Way
Weather charts indicate another cold front is set to move across Tasmania and mainland alpine regions from Saturday. Snow is expected to fall above 1700 metres on the mainland, and at even lower elevations in Tasmania, with up to 10cm of snow possible in higher areas between Sunday and Monday.
The coldest air mass is forecast for Monday morning — coinciding directly with the first day of the Australian summer.
❄ Summer Snow — Rare or Not?
Despite sounding unusual, summer snowfalls in Australia do occur, particularly when strong polar air pushes far north. A similar event happened in December 2019 at Mount Hotham, even during one of the hottest and driest years on record.
Such cold snaps, however, are typically short-lived. Snowfall often melts within a day or two, and heat can return just as quickly on either side of the event.
🌬 Why So Cold This Year?
This season’s lingering chill is linked to two significant climate drivers:
Negative Southern Annular Mode (SAM)
Strong negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD)
Both contribute to increased cloud cover, rainfall, and more intense cold fronts being directed toward southern Australia — a pattern that has held firm through late spring and now into early summer.
