Cold Front to Hit Southern Australia

Let's jump straight into the synoptic map and on Friday morning we see this cold front out to the west of Western Australia that will move east through the day, bringing a band of rain and showers all the way from Albany, through Perth and up towards Geraldton and Carnarvon. We may also see severe thunderstorms about the coast, and that could bring damaging winds, as well as heavy rainfall. Through the day, rain will push into the Wheatbelt and vigorous winds will be maintained across coastal areas. On Friday night and into Saturday morning, we'll see this low pressure system to the south of Western Australia start to intensify. That will reinforce showers and strong winds right across the region, as well as whip up some dangerous seas. So we'll see large waves and potentially hazardous coastal conditions about the far south west coast on Saturday.

But by Saturday morning that cold front will start to move out into eastern parts of Western Australia. And so for the second half of Saturday, the focus will actually shift into South Australia. We follow that cold front as it moves through the Bight. Rainfall will gradually start to dry out with a cold front itself, but it will be associated with very strong to even damaging winds. Across the south coast of WA very strong to damaging winds coming up from the south-west. And for South Australia, those winds from the north really start to intensify, and we may be issuing damaging wind warnings for both of these areas. In South Australia though it will be very warm with these warm northerly winds reaching the mid 20s in the south and then mid 30s up in the north.

As we head into Sunday, the focus shifts eastwards yet again. And into Victoria we can have a look at the models and what they're saying for the day. We'll see that cold front moving east through the day on Sunday. Winds will ramp up across western Victoria and we may be issuing damaging wind warnings, particularly for elevated parts. But as you can see here, rainfall does increase. And that's because this cold front is now starting to tap into tropical moisture from the north. And we could also see the potential for severe thunderstorms across western Victoria, bringing heavy rainfall and damaging winds.

As we head into Sunday night, that rainfall does start to contract out into eastern parts of Victoria, and gradually start to clear as we head into Monday. But across alpine areas, because it is so warm, this precipitation will fall as rain rather than snow, and this rain may actually melt some of that snow across the alpine resorts.

So what can we expect in terms of impacts? With those winds, damage to trees and properties is possible and we may see powerlines being toppled over, which could cause disruptions to utilities such as electricity. And if you're out and about with those winds and also rain, that could create dangerous driving and also traveling conditions.

Let's have a closer look at those winds. Starting off with those winds above 1500 metres above the surface, which could be mixed down lower. Through the day on Saturday, we'll see those very strong winds exceeding 80km an hour across parts of southern Western Australia and really building across parts of South Australia. You can see those orange and red shades through the day. As we head into Sunday, the focus will shift in Victoria and we will see those winds picking up even further. Through the day we'll see that cold front moving through the east and we can see these purple shades now becoming online. And those are winds in excess of 100km an hour. And that will mostly be across elevated parts of Victoria. Those winds flare up across the day on Sunday, will gradually start to ease as that cold front pushes out towards the east.

In terms of rainfall starting off in Western Australia out to Sunday night, we are expecting the possibility of more than 50mm about coastal areas all the way from Geraldton, down towards Perth, and over towards Albany. Towards the Wheatbelt though we will see those rainfall figures gradually tapering off, generally between 5 to 25mm. Across the south-east of the country as we saw, South Australia will miss out on that rainfall and it will mostly fall through Victoria on and north of the divide. And Tasmania will also see rainfall picking up across western and northern parts of the state, with isolated falls in excess of 50mm possible all the way out into Sunday night.

So with severe weather coming for large parts of southern Australia, make sure you stay up to date with latest information and warnings. You can get that on our website as well as social media. And as always, please stay safe.