White Christmas hopes as mercury plunges
It’s not exactly Lapland but there’s a growing possibility Australia could see a white Christmas, thanks to the effect of the La Nina climate driver.
But it will only hit one very specific part of Australia, and you may have to hike to get there.
Even without snow, Tasmania’s temperatures could plunge to below average for late December. It may even be scarf weather as the sun goes down.
In Queensland rain, and lots of it, will be a feature of the coming days’ weather with a risk of flash flooding. Some of that moisture will find its way to New South Wales with possible storms.
If blistering heat is more your idea of Christmas, Perth is the place to go to this Yuletide.
The La Nina climate driver is helping to push more moisture across Australia, aided by the monsoon in the north.
“It’ll be a classic La Nina soaking to start the week through many northern and eastern parts of Australia,” Sky News Weather senior meteorologist Tom Saunders said.
“In Alice Springs, the Todd River is flowing after 50mm of rain so far this week; it’s a desert soaking which is not something you see every year.”
The course of the Todd River travels through Alice Springs but rarely does it flow with water.
“A monsoonal low in the northwest tropics is feeding moisture into a low pressure system heading towards the eastern seaboard. That will move away on Wednesday so we will see an easing of conditions in the short term,” Mr Saunders said.
“Then on Thursday, showers will creep up the NSW coast close to Sydney with rain on Christmas Day.”
A top of about 26C in the Harbour City is predicted on Wednesday and Thursday. The same again for Christmas Day but it will be cooler with a maximum of 23C with some rain. It’s then on and off with the rain going into the weekend but it could top out at 30C on December, 27.
On the Ranges there could be more rain - maybe even some storms - after Christmas Day.
Canberra will see most days peaking around the mid-20s but it could hit the 30s on the 27th. The moisture is likely to be pushed into next week.
The same can’t be said for the sunshine state.
“Queensland, unfortunately, won’t see dry weather on Christmas Day for much of the state,” Mr Saunders said.
There is the risk of flooding in tropical Queensland as the rain comes down throughout Christmas week. Some areas could see up to 100mm of moisture. But the heaviest falls should be confined to after Christmas Day.
Townsville could see well over 50mm in the four days from Boxing Day. The south east will largely avoid the rain with just a few spots on Christmas Day. Temperatures in Brisbane could hit 33C on Wednesday and then in the high 20s for much of the rest of the week.
VERY HOT IN THE WEST
There’s set to be a very wet Christmas across the Top End with possibly up to 100mm of rain in Darwin during Christmas week due to that monsoonal low. Storms are almost a given. Highs will be about 32C.
A low over north western Western Australia could bring storms and some rain on a muggy and hot Christmas Day that will be well into the mid-30s.
It will be even hotter further south with Perth likely to hit 39C on Wednesday and Christmas Eve and 35C on Christmas Day. The highs will then settle into the mid-30s with not a drop of rain in sight. Indeed, it’s been above 30C in the WA capital for days and days on end.
Across the Nullarbor, it will be mostly dry in Adelaide in keeping with much of the rest of southern Australia. Temperatures will steadily rise with 27C on Christmas Eve, almost 30C on Christmas Day and 34C on Boxing Day before dropping into the mid-20s.
CHRISTMAS SNOW HOPES
Temperatures will be much chillier in Victoria. Christmas Eve might only get to a maximum of 19C in Melbourne with a low of 13C, more than cold enough for a mulled wine and to pull on that festive jumper. The average for a usual December is more like 24C. Christmas Day may only scrape into the 20s.
But just in time for the Boxing Day test, the mercury will roar back up again to 30C on the 26th. It’ll hover there on a possibly wet Sunday and then drop right back down again to just 19C on Monday.
And how about that Christmas snow then?
“On Christmas Day, it will be easily below 20C for Tasmania,” said Mr Saunders.
“There may be one or two snowflakes very early in the morning on the highest peaks; so if you feel like climbing a mountain you could see a white Christmas in Australia.”
Indeed Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, overlooking Hobart, could be just the spot. On Christmas morning it may drop down to 0C on the peak with some possible snow flurries overnight.
In Hobart itself, it will be a little warmer this week. There will be a high of 21C on Wednesday drifting down to 19C on Christmas Day with a low of 9C. But it should warm up to 27C by Sunday. Possible showers throughout the week.
https://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/white-christmas-hopes-as-mercury-plunges/news-story/0fee5d15167bccc84810848b1d38a54c
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