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National

Cold snap sweeping the east coast of Australia expected to linger

Snow at the Mount Hotham ski village. (Supplied: Mount Hotham Skiing Company)

Much of south-eastern Australia will continue to shiver through unseasonal conditions in the coming days after a cold and wet Easter weekend.

Temperatures in parts of Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia over the weekend were 5-10 degrees Celsius below average for this time of the year, according to Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Dean Narramore.

"That was thanks to a strong cold front moving through on Good Friday, which brought severe thunderstorms through parts of Queensland, New South Wales and eastern Victoria," Mr Narramore said.

In parts of Tasmania, snow fell down to 700 metres over the weekend, while Hobart struggled to reach 13C yesterday, its coldest Easter Sunday in 17 years.  

Temperatures in Victoria were 5-10 degrees below average for this time of the year. Melbourne's maximum of 15.5C on Easter Sunday was the lowest on that day since 2020.

Early snow fell on the Victorian ski fields, including at Falls Creek, Mount Hotham, Mount Baw Baw and Mount Buller, while some Melbourne suburbs were drenched in 40 millimetres of rain yesterday.

Snow on the peaks around Mount Hotham. (Supplied: Mount Hotham Skiing Company)

Mr Narramore said Victorians would continue to experience the unseasonably cold weather until later in the week.

"[On] Tuesday those showers will finally ease through southern Victoria," he said.

"We're likely to see temperatures still 2 to 5 degrees below average before the next weather system moves in on Wednesday with another burst of widespread showers and even possible storms across much of the state, and cooler conditions continuing."

"That'll ease Thursday with those warmer conditions and temperatures in the low 20s returning on Friday and Saturday."

Cool weather to continue

In NSW, severe storms on Friday and lingering bad weather over the weekend sparked hazardous surf warnings along the length of the state's coastline.

There was also a light dusting of snow around the Thredbo and Perisher ski resorts.

Sydney was lashed by storms over the weekend. (ABC News: Harriet Tatham)

Temperatures were also lower than average in south-east Queensland over the weekend, falling as low as 5C this morning, and might be even lower on Tuesday morning.

"For south-east Queensland we're likely to see these chilly mornings continue on Tuesday and Wednesday morning, down into single figures for large parts of inland south-east Queensland, but the days will be nice and warm and sunny with temperatures in the low to mid 20s in inland areas and possibly mid to high 20s along coastal parts," Mr Narramore said.

On the other side of the country, a tropical cyclone developing off the coast of the Kimberley is expected to turn south and make land between Port Hedland and Broome on Thursday.

Wet and wild weather is hitting both sides of the country. (Supplied: BoM)

"We're talking winds in excess of 200 kilometres per hour, possibly even 250 kmh, near the core as well as very heavy rainfall that is likely to lead to widespread flash and riverine flooding," Mr Narramore said.

"So, dangerous conditions [are] likely to develop up there Thursday night into Friday morning."

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