Falls Creek Ski Lifts spokeswoman Debbie Howie said residents were waking up to trees, cars and roads covered with snow.
“Everyone is really excited,” Ms Howie said. “It’s always magical and it’s always great to see. “We have all been on the phones this morning talking to each other. “Having snow in May is normal but what is not normal is to have such freezing temperatures. “It’s absolutely freezing.” Up to 12cm of snow has been measured in the Mt Buller village, with heavier cover on the upper mountain.
“It is always exciting to see snow on the ground – even if it is a little early,” Buller Ski Lifts spokeswoman Rhylla Morgan said. “Our teams are working hard on final preparations for the snow season which kicks off on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend next month. “These early snows certainly have everyone thinking ahead to the season and counting the days until we can be skiing.”
Weather bureau senior forecaster Dean Stewart said the early winter blast had triggered snow as low as 700m. “The air above us is very cold at the moment,” Mr Stewart said. Other parts of Victoria haven’t been spared the cold conditions either. The overnight temperature in Melbourne dropped to 7C just after 5am today.
Mount William recorded -0.8C, Ballarat 1.9C, Omeo 2.7C and Geelong 5.4C.
Melbourne is today expecting a maximum of just 13C and showers with the chance of hail and thunder in eastern suburbs until mid afternoon. The wet weather will continue all week, with 20-50mm of rain expected up to Sunday. “The eastern suburbs of Melbourne will get more than the west or northern parts,” Mr Stewart said.
