Australia Weather News

Parts of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania were blanketed in snow, as a cold snap moved across the south-east coast.

In New South Wales there were widespread reports of snowfalls in the state's alpine areas on Friday, with light falls in the Blue Mountains and parts of the Central West.

Katoomba resident Bretton Drinkwater said several centimetres of snow had fallen in the town and it was quite a sight.

"Beautiful snow falling, the cars are covered with it, the streets are covered with it, the rooftops are covered with it, all your plants and bushes," he said.

"We'd have already 2-3 centimetres of snow. It's a real winter wonderland at the present time."

A warning for possible traffic disruptions, especially on the Great Western Highway, was issued by the State Emergency Service.

But an immediate threat of severe weather has passed, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) said.

NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol warned motorists to take extra care and be wary of fallen debris and icy roads.

"In high winds, we're asking motorists to please be aware that trees may be falling across the roadway, to please drive with caution in high wind areas," Chief Inspector Phillip Brooks said.

"The wet weather will certainly add to the risks, particularly making driving conditions slippery and unpredictable."

He said if motorists were caught in snow, especially in the Central Tablelands where snow was falling, they should pull over, turn on their car heating and wait for the snow to pass.

Meanwhile, the cold front was good news for the state's ski resorts.

Thredbo Village reported 20 centimetres of snow between 9:00am and 3:00pm.

Heavy rain, snowfalls recorded in Tasmania

In Tasmania, snowfalls are expected in southern and central parts of the state.

The Bureau of Meteorology said Hobart and Mount Wellington were unlikely to see snow overnight.

Several roads in the Central Highlands were affected by the snowfall, with parts of the Highland Lakes, Lake Leake, Malborough and Poatina roads only accessible to four-wheel drives.

Emergency crews are keeping a watch on river levels in north-east Tasmania, with a flood watch still in place after Thursday's heavy rains.

Melbourne readies for 'blast of icy weather'

In Victoria, snow fell across the state as Melbourne braced for a wintry blast of rain.

The BoM said snow flurries were recorded at Kyneton, Daylesford and Ballarat.

Mount Macedon, a popular spot for day-trippers, saw light snow falls, with locals warning visitors to take caution on the roads.

Temperatures in Melbourne reached just over 10C after 1:00pm.

Earlier, Ted Williams from the BoM said if the weather had not broken the 10 degree mark, it would have been the coldest June day since 1998.

"We're moving into winter, so it's a blast of icy weather for us," he said.

But he said the cold weather in the metropolitan area would ease up over the weekend.