Ruth
The Living Force
This doesn't happen very often, but today, it happened in our area.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/victorias-white-christmas/2006/12/25/1166895228377.html
http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/victorias-white-christmas/2006/12/25/1166895228377.html
Catherine McAloon
December 25, 2006 - 11:35AM
Areas of Victoria are experiencing a white Christmas with freezing conditions bringing snowfalls to alpine regions.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Ward Rooney said negative temperatures had been recorded in alpine areas, with Mt Baw Baw registering a low of minus two degrees.
"The fact of the matter is that in higher places temperatures are negative. In places where it's precipitating and it's cold enough, it will snow," Rooney said.
A webcam on the official Mt Buller website, showing a view looking up to the mountain summit from the balcony of Kofler's Restaurant taken at 10.54am, showed a good coverage of snow lining the ground.
Just last week firefighters were met with high temperatures and strong north winds as they battled a blazes on the popular mountain's northern side as well as spot fires on lower elevations.
Mr Rooney said the weather bureau expected snow to fall in areas above 900 metres today. He said while parts of Melbourne had received heavy falls of hail, there had been no snow in the metropolitan region.
"There has been a couple of people confusing hail, which has fallen in the Melbourne area, as snow."
The cold snap, across Victoria, which follows sweltering conditions less than a week ago, is tipped to continue.
"The coldest period will be today, but the rest of the week will remain cool," Mr Rooney said.