A sudden hailstorm turned the town of Castlemaine, Victoria, into an unexpected winter scene, while eastern Australia braces for more cold weather in the days ahead.
The storm, which Mayor Matt Driscoll described as a “sudden bang,” struck Castlemaine on Wednesday around 5 p.m. and lasted six to eight minutes.
The hail, measuring 2 to 4 cm, caused damage to several historic buildings, including the 150-year-old Civic Centre and Market Building.
Power outages and flash flooding were reported in the area, though the storm was confined to a relatively small part of the town.
Cold front to bring snow and hail, creating winter-like conditions across southern regions.Eastern Australia is set to experience further turbulent weather, as over 100,000 lightning strikes hit north-west Western Australia earlier this week.
According to WeatherZone, the extreme weather system responsible for Castlemaine’s storm is moving towards New South Wales, where central regions may see similar conditions. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has warned of possible large hail and damaging winds in some areas.
Temperatures will drop across south-eastern Australia by Friday, with Sydney expecting a high of 19°C, while Melbourne will only reach 17°C.
The cold front will intensify over the weekend, bringing even lower temperatures to the southern regions of the country.
Tasmania will also experience a blast of wintery conditions on Saturday, with snow forecast to fall at altitudes as low as 200m.
The BoM has indicated that while snow in Hobart’s CBD is unlikely, hill suburbs might wake up to a light dusting. Hail remains a possibility for areas not receiving snow, creating a scene reminiscent of a snow-covered landscape.