The Bureau of Meteorology cancelled its severe weather warning for the Snowy Mountains at 4.40am on Tuesday, ending three days of damaging wind and blizzard alerts for the New South Wales alps. Damaging winds have eased over alpine areas, the cancellation notice said.
Victoria's alpine warning had lapsed by mid-morning Tuesday, leaving no severe weather warning current in either state. The front behind the alerts delivered what they described: Scotts Peak Dam in Tasmania's south west recorded a 139 km/h gust before dawn on Monday, and Perisher Valley reached 94 km/h at 1.58am the same morning. Monday's warning had forecast winds averaging 80 to 90 km/h above 1900 metres, with peak gusts to 110 km/h.
What remains on Tuesday is water, not wind. Minor flood warnings are current on the Kiewa River, where minor flooding is occurring at Bandiana, on the King River at Docker Road Bridge, and on Seven Creeks at Euroa. In New South Wales, minor flood warnings cover the Murray and Paroo rivers.
Marine wind warnings apply to coastal waters in both states, and a sheep graziers warning remains current for the Snowy Mountains forecast district.
The cold air behind the front is still producing snow. The Bureau's alpine forecast, issued Monday, put the snow level near 1200 metres on Tuesday, and the resorts in both states took fresh falls through the weekend blow.
A high pressure system over the Great Australian Bight ridges across the south east from Wednesday, and the Bureau expects the westerly airstream to weaken as it does. Conditions in the alps are forecast to stay cold with snow showers easing through the week. The remaining watch is on the north east rivers, as Monday's rain works down the Kiewa, King and Seven Creeks systems.
