G'day from the Bureau with your National Weather Forecast around the country for Thursday 7 May, and it's going to feel like winter in parts of south-eastern Australia, with this cold front in Tasmania and Victoria bringing very cold temperatures, snow to low levels, possibly around 500 to 600 m in Tasmania and 700 to 800 m in Victoria, also with showers, hail, thunder and very strong winds.
Also likely to see those strong winds and showers moving to south-eastern parts of New South Wales as well. But notice this huge high pressure system in the Great Australian Bight. That extends a ridge right across pretty much the rest of Australia, so that's going to see drier and cooler conditions spread across much of the country as well.
And if you notice these little white arrows you see moving across the country, pretty much all coming from the south, so that means that cooler air is even making its way up into northern Australia as well, and even off the coast of northern Australia as well. It's a sure sign that we really are moving into the cooler months of the year.
But it also means when we get a very large high pressure system like this, we're likely to see little if any rainfall as well for much of the country, except for where that cold front is impacting parts of south-eastern Australia. So let's look at all of this in more detail.
Firstly, in Queensland, we could see the odd coastal shower again in the morning hours through coastal areas. But it should clear as we move into the afternoon and evening and maybe just a lingering shower or storm through inland areas as well in the early morning.
But generally, much of the state should see a fine, partly cloudy day and slightly cooler, particularly our inland areas in southern parts you can see temperatures here into the low 20s. Mid to high 20s for coastal areas and getting up into the 30s through northern parts of Queensland.
Brisbane looking at a warm and sunny 27 °C, but likely to be much cooler than that on Friday.
Down into New South Wales, and we see that cold front moving through southern and eastern parts of the state during the day. Little, if any, rainfall on and east of the ranges, but we could see some showers here through south-eastern parts of the state and into the ACT as well.
Snow also likely for our alpine areas up around the Snowy Mountains. Could see snow down to around, you know, 1,000 m or so through these areas and possibly even lower than that, a remote possibility into the Central Ranges, but probably wouldn't see any moisture with that cold air, so snow unlikely but can't rule it out entirely.
Pretty cool across the state, very cool in southern parts as that cold air moves in early. Looking at cold, showery and breezy, 12 °C in Canberra with snow likely in the surrounding hills.
Sydney, a cold and windy 19 °C, but the wind chills will make it feel more like in the low to mid teens, so definitely a burst of winter for much of New South Wales on Thursday.
The only areas escaping it is far north-eastern New South Wales, they're likely to have another warm day before that colder air moves in on Thursday night and into Friday.
Moving down into Victoria, and it's going to be like winter, particularly for southern and mountain parts and eastern parts of the state. Cold, wet and windy conditions with widespread showers, local hail and thunder.
Snow for elevated areas above around 600 or 700 m. Cold and gusty winds, possibly gales throughout coastal areas as well, so very cold day, temperatures in the low to mid teens right across the state.
Typical more of July weather rather than May, but the wind chills will likely make it feel like the low single figures for many parts of southern and mountain Victoria.
A cold, wet and windy one in Melbourne, 14 °C, more widespread heavier falls in eastern parts of the city and much less for those western suburbs.
Moving down into Tasmania, similar conditions, cold, wet and windy weather, particularly for much of western parts of the state. We're likely to see snow around the Central Plateau and many elevated areas up above around 700 m.
Cold and showery right across the state, and we see these temperatures as well in the low to mid teens, with those winds making it feel even colder than that.
But notice this second system does move in during the afternoon and evening hours, and that's going to tend to more persistent rain for much of western and central and possibly even southern parts of Tasmania as well.
So yeah, a cold, wet and dreary day for much of the state, although staying dry probably in the north-east and eastern parts, in areas that unfortunately are really looking for that rainfall.
Hobart, a showery and cool 13 °C, windy in the city and most of that rain sticking up towards the mountains.
Moving up into South Australia, and they're going to get those cooler conditions but not that rainfall that we're seeing further east, as high pressure really dominating the weather there.
Widespread cloud cover there is likely across much of southern South Australia, so it'll be a grey old day for many areas, but unfortunately not much rainfall for those looking for it, maybe just a few showers around coastal parts of the south-east, but that's about it.
Temperatures much cooler than what we have been seeing, mid to high teens through southern parts of the state and getting up into the low 20s or just into 20 °C into northern areas.
Dry and sunny in the north, cloudy and cool in the south. Adelaide looking at cloudy 17 °C.
Moving down into WA, and those coastal showers will continue around the south coast of WA from the SA border all the way around probably to the Capes, while dry and sunny weather remains further inland.
Temperatures near 20 °C about the coast, warming up into the low 20s further inland just across the Wheatbelt and then getting up into the high 20s to near 30 °C for northern areas.
Perth looking at a sunny 23 °C.
And moving up into northern Australia, as we are in the early parts of the dry season, you can see fairly dry conditions across much of northern Australia, with those southerly winds making it all the way up to northern Australia as well.
And you can see why, these temperatures only 20 °C in the centre, 24 °C at Tennant Creek and only just getting into the 30s at the base of the Top End and the Kimberley.
It's only the far northern coast that might see temperatures still quite warm, 33 °C, but they were 35 °C there today, so that cooler, drier air really getting up into northern parts of the country as well.
Darwin looking at dry and sunny, 33 °C.
So remember for the latest forecasts and warnings for your area, particularly with a bit of weather around in Tasmania and Victoria, you can always get the latest forecasts and warnings from our website, app and social media, and I'll see you again tomorrow for Friday's forecast.
Also likely to see those strong winds and showers moving to south-eastern parts of New South Wales as well. But notice this huge high pressure system in the Great Australian Bight. That extends a ridge right across pretty much the rest of Australia, so that's going to see drier and cooler conditions spread across much of the country as well.
And if you notice these little white arrows you see moving across the country, pretty much all coming from the south, so that means that cooler air is even making its way up into northern Australia as well, and even off the coast of northern Australia as well. It's a sure sign that we really are moving into the cooler months of the year.
But it also means when we get a very large high pressure system like this, we're likely to see little if any rainfall as well for much of the country, except for where that cold front is impacting parts of south-eastern Australia. So let's look at all of this in more detail.
Firstly, in Queensland, we could see the odd coastal shower again in the morning hours through coastal areas. But it should clear as we move into the afternoon and evening and maybe just a lingering shower or storm through inland areas as well in the early morning.
But generally, much of the state should see a fine, partly cloudy day and slightly cooler, particularly our inland areas in southern parts you can see temperatures here into the low 20s. Mid to high 20s for coastal areas and getting up into the 30s through northern parts of Queensland.
Brisbane looking at a warm and sunny 27 °C, but likely to be much cooler than that on Friday.
Down into New South Wales, and we see that cold front moving through southern and eastern parts of the state during the day. Little, if any, rainfall on and east of the ranges, but we could see some showers here through south-eastern parts of the state and into the ACT as well.
Snow also likely for our alpine areas up around the Snowy Mountains. Could see snow down to around, you know, 1,000 m or so through these areas and possibly even lower than that, a remote possibility into the Central Ranges, but probably wouldn't see any moisture with that cold air, so snow unlikely but can't rule it out entirely.
Pretty cool across the state, very cool in southern parts as that cold air moves in early. Looking at cold, showery and breezy, 12 °C in Canberra with snow likely in the surrounding hills.
Sydney, a cold and windy 19 °C, but the wind chills will make it feel more like in the low to mid teens, so definitely a burst of winter for much of New South Wales on Thursday.
The only areas escaping it is far north-eastern New South Wales, they're likely to have another warm day before that colder air moves in on Thursday night and into Friday.
Moving down into Victoria, and it's going to be like winter, particularly for southern and mountain parts and eastern parts of the state. Cold, wet and windy conditions with widespread showers, local hail and thunder.
Snow for elevated areas above around 600 or 700 m. Cold and gusty winds, possibly gales throughout coastal areas as well, so very cold day, temperatures in the low to mid teens right across the state.
Typical more of July weather rather than May, but the wind chills will likely make it feel like the low single figures for many parts of southern and mountain Victoria.
A cold, wet and windy one in Melbourne, 14 °C, more widespread heavier falls in eastern parts of the city and much less for those western suburbs.
Moving down into Tasmania, similar conditions, cold, wet and windy weather, particularly for much of western parts of the state. We're likely to see snow around the Central Plateau and many elevated areas up above around 700 m.
Cold and showery right across the state, and we see these temperatures as well in the low to mid teens, with those winds making it feel even colder than that.
But notice this second system does move in during the afternoon and evening hours, and that's going to tend to more persistent rain for much of western and central and possibly even southern parts of Tasmania as well.
So yeah, a cold, wet and dreary day for much of the state, although staying dry probably in the north-east and eastern parts, in areas that unfortunately are really looking for that rainfall.
Hobart, a showery and cool 13 °C, windy in the city and most of that rain sticking up towards the mountains.
Moving up into South Australia, and they're going to get those cooler conditions but not that rainfall that we're seeing further east, as high pressure really dominating the weather there.
Widespread cloud cover there is likely across much of southern South Australia, so it'll be a grey old day for many areas, but unfortunately not much rainfall for those looking for it, maybe just a few showers around coastal parts of the south-east, but that's about it.
Temperatures much cooler than what we have been seeing, mid to high teens through southern parts of the state and getting up into the low 20s or just into 20 °C into northern areas.
Dry and sunny in the north, cloudy and cool in the south. Adelaide looking at cloudy 17 °C.
Moving down into WA, and those coastal showers will continue around the south coast of WA from the SA border all the way around probably to the Capes, while dry and sunny weather remains further inland.
Temperatures near 20 °C about the coast, warming up into the low 20s further inland just across the Wheatbelt and then getting up into the high 20s to near 30 °C for northern areas.
Perth looking at a sunny 23 °C.
And moving up into northern Australia, as we are in the early parts of the dry season, you can see fairly dry conditions across much of northern Australia, with those southerly winds making it all the way up to northern Australia as well.
And you can see why, these temperatures only 20 °C in the centre, 24 °C at Tennant Creek and only just getting into the 30s at the base of the Top End and the Kimberley.
It's only the far northern coast that might see temperatures still quite warm, 33 °C, but they were 35 °C there today, so that cooler, drier air really getting up into northern parts of the country as well.
Darwin looking at dry and sunny, 33 °C.
So remember for the latest forecasts and warnings for your area, particularly with a bit of weather around in Tasmania and Victoria, you can always get the latest forecasts and warnings from our website, app and social media, and I'll see you again tomorrow for Friday's forecast.
National weather forecast: Wintry in the south-east, dry elsewhere
06 May 2026
Video current: 1:00 pm AEST Wednesday 06/05/26.