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Tasmanian Snow as QLD chars

Max Gonzalez, Tuesday October 28, 2014 - 12:16 AEDT

We truly live in a land of extremes yet many seem to be surprised every day these extremes do happen.

While this great southern land is seeing areas of Queensland scour black with extreme heat, areas of Tasmania raised this morning to the winter wonderland of snow.

Overnight, a powerful cold front swept through the Apple Isle bringing destructive winds and a very cold air mass in its wake.

Just after midnight, wind gusts of up to 148km/h were clocked at Mt Read on Tasmania's western ranges while Mt Wellington, outside Hobart, managed to register winds of up to 106km/h. South of Hobart, winds of up to 117km/h were recorded at Cape Bruny early this morning, as another weaker front traverses the island with an intense low to its south.

To 9am this morning, rainfall totals were highest over the exposed areas of the west. Mt Read picked up 43mm, with 37mm at Strathgordon but only 15mm in Hobart.

The main feature apart from the destructive winds, however, is the snow which fell to about 600m overnight.

Contrary to Icehouse's talking mountains, Tasmanian mountains are likely to keep howling just a bit longer. Winds will continue to be strong over the northern half of the island strengthening over the southern half later this afternoon and evening as the low edges closer from the south.

A severe weather warning for winds that may gust to about 110-120km/h is in place for the Furneaux Islands, parts of the Western, Central Plateau and the South East for this afternoon and evening.

After tonight, winds will ease by the beak of dawn with a high pressure system bringing some relief. On Friday, yet another front is likely to bring strong winds later in the day.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2014

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