Arabic version: جبهة باردة تجلب رياحاً وأمطاراً وخطر الفيضانات

According to The Guardian, a vigorous cold front sweeping across southern Australia is forecast to bring damaging winds, widespread rain and potential flooding over the weekend. The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings for damaging winds, showers and thunderstorms along Western Australia’s southern coastline on Saturday, followed by parts of South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales on Sunday.

Bureau senior meteorologist Ilana Cherny described the outlook as a “wet, windy and wintry weekend ahead”. The front was expected to move through Western Australia and South Australia on Saturday, bringing gusty winds, showers, thunderstorms and a small chance of hail. A rare dusting of snow was possible on Bluff Knoll in Western Australia’s Stirling Range. Rottnest Island recorded winds of 96km/h at 8.54am on Saturday.

From Sunday, strong winds, heavy rain and possible storms were forecast for South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales. Alpine gusts were expected to exceed 100km/h, while warnings covered the western Eyre Peninsula and Flinders Ranges in South Australia, Victoria’s central and eastern ranges, and New South Wales alpine areas. Rainfall totals of 20mm to 40mm were expected across southern Australia, with 50mm to 80mm possible in parts of the south-east.

An initial flood watch covered river catchments in Victoria and New South Wales, where river and creek rises and localised flooding were possible. Areas listed include the Snowy, Mitchell, Macalister, Bunyip, Yarra, Upper Murray, Mitta Mitta, Kiewa, Ovens, King, Broken and Goulburn rivers, as well as Dandenong Creek. Cherny said river levels could rise later in the weekend and into the new week.

The system could bring a mixed outcome for ski resorts, with weekend rain likely to melt existing mountain snow before further falls were expected by Monday. Weatherzone’s Anthony Sharwood said multiple bursts of snow could continue through next Thursday, potentially delivering more than half a metre at elevations around 1,800 metres. Snow depths at Spencers Creek in New South Wales had reached 87.1cm, exceeding the 85.1cm recorded in 2006.