Overview

• Forecasts call for 20–50 cm of snow across resorts including Mt Hotham, Mt Buller, Perisher and Thredbo from Friday through Tuesday.
• Successive cold fronts and a low-pressure system are expected to produce wet, windy conditions that may hinder skiing and snowboarding.
• Alpine temperatures will plunge with overnight lows down to –5 °C and daytime highs of just 10–12 °C in southern regions.
• Police will conduct checks on vehicles for mandatory wheel chains on routes into Falls Creek, Mt Buller, Mt Hotham, Mt Baw Baw, Lake Mountain and Mt Stirling, issuing fines up to $988 for non-compliance.
• Ambulance Victoria warns that the cold snap increases risks of falls, hypothermia and seasonal illnesses among older people.