The higher parts of the Upper Hunter received its first substantial snowfall for this year in the last 36 hours. Snow settled on hills as low as 800m surrounding Murrurundi, Merriwa and Scone. The high parts of the Barrington Tops (~1500m) had a cover of 15cm by yesterday afternoon. Hunter Springs/Tomalla which is at approximately 1250m had 8cm cover of snow by this morning.

A low pressure system with an interacting cold front contributed to the snowfalls. The lower lying areas of the Hunter received light falls of rain. This rain fell as snow on higher ground where the temperatures were cold enough. The snowfalls were widespread on the New South Wales tablelands, from the Victorian to the Queensland border. Maximum temperatures across the Hunter Region were the lowest so far this year.

The low pressure system in the Tasman sea has moved further east this morning and a trough line is feeding mild moist air into the Hunter. This is causing the temperature to increase and rain is now falling at high elevations this morning.

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