Australia has seen the onset of snow and cold in the Southern Hemisphere spring after polar gusts from Antarctica brought snow and ice conditions to Australia’s east coast and closed major highways around Sydney.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said four states in eastern Australia had snow. Hobart It is located in Canberra, the capital of Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory.
The situation also forced the closure of the Great Western Highway between Katoomba’s Blue Mountains and Mount Victoria, and the Bell’s Line between Bell and Lithgow.
Additionally, the New South Wales (NSW) government’s live traffic website reported that residents of the Blue Mountains, an hour and a half from Sydney, were hit hard enough to reach the road Wednesday morning after overnight snowfall turned to thick black ice. I warned you not to.
Katoomba to Mount Victoria: The Great Western Highway remains closed in both directions due to ice on the road. Westbound traffic is diverted at the ruler. Avoid the area and delay your travel. pic.twitter.com/V4AAGhgWpF
— Live Traffic NSW (@LiveTrafficNSW) August 23, 2022
Black ice is created when a thin layer of ice, called a glaze, forms on roads and sidewalks, usually when rain falling on exposed surfaces freezes, or when fallen snow melts and refreezes. increase.
“Emergency services are currently responding to a number of incidents in the upper Blue Mountains caused by overnight snow and black ice,” Blue Mountain Police Rescue said shortly after 8:30 a.m. report Yahoo news.
according to weather zone On Wednesday, the snowfall came into contact with the warm road surface, followed by a rapid melting, followed by conditions, and then, as conditions cleared, temperatures dropped to sub-zero temperatures and the snow refrozen.
Trains out of the area have also been delayed due to the cold weather, and drivers and truck drivers were advised to park their cars as officials waited for the cold weather system to change. report Sky News Wednesday morning.
The NSW Meteorological Department has issued a warning on social media. Said Temperatures dropped sharply in many parts of New South Wales on Tuesday, with many parts of the state hitting below 0 degrees Celsius (32 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday morning.
“Snow has drifted along the mountains, but today should be clear for most areas. Daytime temperatures are well below average, with dry air tempering the chill,” said the NSW BOM. .
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Victoria Kelly-Clark is an Australia-based reporter focusing on the national politics and geopolitical environment in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East and Central Asia.