IT IS good news for the Hunter's snow chasers with the first fall of the season expected on Wednesday.
The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast snow for Barrington Tops, as NSW is hit with a mid-week cold snap.
Temperatures at the Tops are expected to dip to zero overnight Tuesday bringing a dusting on Wednesday that could stick around into Friday, depending on conditions.
"There will be a decent cold outbreak across the state on Tuesday," Bureau forecaster Neale Fraser said.
"This will bring snow on Barrington Tops and we are fairly confident of snowfall as low as 900 metres on Wednesday and potentially Thursday."
It is set to be a chilly week across Newcastle and the Hunter as the cold front sweeps across the state, bringing gusty winds and cooler temperatures.
"It will be the coldest burst we have seen so far this year," Mr Fraser said.
Newcastle could see the mercury dip to 5 degrees Celsius, while the Lower Hunter will see temperatures drop to 3 degrees and it could drop to zero in parts of the Upper Hunter.
Snow chasers are reminded to check road closures and safety warnings before heading up to the Tops this week. There has been an ongoing closure of Barrington Tops Forest Road due to the high risk the road might collapse. It suffered major structural damage in March during the wet weather event that included flash flooding and severe rainfall.
Road closures are listed on the Forestry Corporation website as well as Live Traffic NSW and on signs in the forest.
