Show chasers flock to NSW regions as cold snap brings flurries

In short:

Snow has fallen over parts of northern and central west NSW.

Tourists are flocking to affected areas, excited by the chance to see snow.

What’s next?

More snow flurries are expected later on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Parts of New South Wales have woken to find the landscape covered by a light blanket of snow.

The areas include Guyra, in New England in the state’s north, and Oberon, west of the Blue Mountains.

Extreme weather chaser Thomas Hinterdorfer travelled from Queensland to Guyra, north of Armidale, for the chance to see snow. 

He woke to find the town’s bowling green had turned white.

“Every year it’s just fun, it’s always happy and exciting and we always try to mingle around the Guyra Bowls Club,” Mr Hinterdorfer said.

“Seeing kids see snow for the first time, adults seeing snow for the first time, and you get to play with it, you get to throw it, touch it.

“I get so many snowballs thrown at me.”

Mr Hinterdorfer said the area received only a light dusting of snow about 5:30am, but more was expected.

“At the moment, we’re just being patient because all the model data is suggesting that better snow is expected today and tomorrow,” he said.

“Snow can only last so long on the ground, and we’re hoping that today the flurries can be a little bit more consistent to allow people time to play with the snow and have some fun.”

‘A lot of people are excited’

On the western side of the Jenolan Caves in the Blue Mountains, Barry Richard has been watching the snow fall all morning.

“Everything is white this morning, it’s quite pretty to see it,” he said.

“But of course, the novelty wears off after a while.”

Mr Richards said it was the first snow fall of the year in the area.

“Generally we can have snow anywhere from Easter weekend onwards,” he said.

“But this year this is our first fall of snow, and a lot of people are excited about it.”

Kathleen Cowcher, who runs a tourist cottage at Moonan Brook near Barrington Tops on the NSW Mid North Coast, drove to the top of the mountain this morning and found the forest under its first blanket of snow for the year.

“It’s looking beautiful,” she said.

“It’s only a light dusting of about a centimetre but it’s always beautiful up there when it snows.

“The way the weather is predicted, it should be even better tomorrow.”

Further north at Stanthorpe, on the NSW-Queensland border, those hoping for a glimpse of snow were left disappointed.

Joan Nash visited the region from Brisbane on Tuesday with her son and dog.

“I was hoping it might be snowing, but there hasn’t been any,” she said.

“It’s been a little disappointing, but it’s alright.

“It’s still beautiful here.”

Sheep graziers alert

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said the cold snap would continue for another couple of days.

“With the alps in the southern ranges this time of year of course we get heavier snowfalls there,” meteorologist Stephan Stefanac said.

“But under these current cold conditions we are seeing a little bit of snow outside the alpine regions along the parts of the central and northern ranges.

“We can continue to expect snow about the higher parts of the central and northern ranges today and Wednesday and into early Thursday morning.

“It will mainly affect the highest parts of those areas … and will mostly be light snowfalls.”

Mr Stefanac said parts of the state would also continue to experience windy conditions.

The BOM has issued a warning to sheep graziers about cold temperatures, rain and westerly winds expected during Tuesday and Wednesday.

Areas likely to be affected include parts of the Mid North Coast, Northern Tablelands, Illawarra, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, Central West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes and Snowy Mountains forecast districts.

There is a risk of losses of lambs and sheep exposed to the conditions.