First, to the synoptic map. And most Australians can expect to see a dry and settled start to the weekend. That’s due to a large high pressure system sitting over the Bight, and with clear skies overnight, many will wake to frost all the way from Western Australia through central parts of the country, even as far north as southern Queensland.
The exception though is across the south-east, showers continuing for southern parts of South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania as a trough moves through. But showers will be on an easing trend as we head towards the evening, but remaining quite cold with cooler west to south-westerly winds pushing through.
So, now a state-by-state look starting off with Queensland. Widespread frost for inland areas, including for the Darling Downs, Maranoa and Warrego, even as far north as places like Charleville and Tambo.
But sunshine will follow, temperatures bouncing back into the high teens and low to mid 20s. Mostly clear across eastern Queensland, but with south-easterly winds, coastal areas could see a very light shower or two, generally expecting less than about 2 mm or so.
For Brisbane, a cold start, 9 °C in the city. Patchy fog across the western suburbs, but a sunny day to follow, bouncing back to 22 °C. 26 °C in Cairns, partly cloudy, but showers increase across the North Tropical Coast as we head into Sunday.
Now to New South Wales. Widespread frost for inland areas. Patchy fog about the ranges. It will be sunny to start inland, but then cloud will build into the afternoon and showers are possible, most likely around the Victorian border.
Snow is possible above about 1500 m across the Snowy Mountains. Sunny across eastern parts of New South Wales. A cold start though. Sydney 5 °C, making it its coldest start of the year so far, dropping towards 0 °C for western Sydney, and we will see some frost across those areas there.
But a sunny day to follow, 20 °C in Sydney. A cold start in Canberra, but a partly cloudy day, 15 °C is the maximum.
Now to Victoria. Patchy fog across the north-east of the state. Cloudy in the south with showers, including around Melbourne, and those showers will gradually extend northwards through the day, and snow will fall above 1500 m across alpine areas.
Generally expecting up to about 1 mm in the north. Higher falls in the south, up to 10-15 mm for the Otway Ranges and across to Phillip Island and western parts of Gippsland. But cooler westerly winds. Temperatures pretty cool to mild for this time of year.
Now to Tasmania. Westerly winds continue to move onto the coast, showers will build across the west and also extend into central districts. We could see some moderate falls about the West Coast Range, between 30-50 mm is possible, but 5-10 mm elsewhere.
And the snow level will fall to about 1200 m as we head into Saturday night. So for Hobart, we are expecting showers through the day. A top of 13 °C, and showers continue across much of the north of the state.
Now to South Australia. We are expecting patchy frost in the morning, followed by a sunny day in the north. Cloudy in the south and along the coast with a slight chance of a shower, though it will gradually move north through the day, including for the Eyre Peninsula, as far north as about Kimba, across to Port Augusta and down through Adelaide and the south-east of the state.
Generally, 2-5 mm is expected, but we could see some higher falls about the Mount Lofty Ranges. A cool day though, with west to south-westerly winds. Temperatures slightly below average for this time of year. Adelaide, a couple of showers are possible with 16 °C, and also reaching the mid to high teens across the northern part of the state.
For Western Australia, widespread morning frost for the Wheatbelt, Goldfields and down towards the Esperance coast, but it will be a sunny day to follow, with easterly winds and temperatures reaching the high teens to low 20s.
Also a cool start in Perth, followed by a mostly sunny top with 20 °C and cloud will build across the south-west ahead of the next cold front that’s due on Sunday. For northern areas, it will be a sunny day. High fire dangers are possible again across parts of the Pilbara, with some pretty gusty easterly winds moving through.
Now to northern parts of the country. A cold start, dropping down towards 0 °C in Alice Springs with frost there. Otherwise sunshine, except for a couple of light showers across eastern parts of the Top End. It will be quite breezy, and smoke is again possible across Darwin.
Top of 32 °C there and reaching the high 20s to low 30s across the Kimberley and northern Pilbara.
Now, having a look at Sunday. The cold front across Western Australia sweeps through with showers and some cooler air. But we are on an easing trend across the south-east of the country. Temperatures climbing a few degrees.
Otherwise, for central and northern areas, another cold start, but then plenty of sunshine to follow. That’s your forecast for today.
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