Sydney is set for an unseasonably warm start to spring, with maximum temperatures on Saturday afternoon expected to reach up to 33C in some suburbs. This temperature is predicted to be 13C above the average for September, making it potentially the hottest day this early in spring on record for Sydney.
The warm, dry, and windy conditions have led to a total fire ban being implemented for the greater Sydney region, where extreme fire danger is forecast. The first five days of September are on track to average a top of 27 degrees, matching the midsummer average.
In contrast, snow was falling in Thredbo in the Snowy Mountains, southern New South Wales, on late Saturday morning. The Bureau of Meteorology had forecast snowfall to hit Thredbo top station by 4pm on Saturday, with a daytime low temperature of -1C.
This dramatic start to Australia's spring extends across much of the continent, with damaging winds possible in South Australia and heavy rains forecast for north-east Victoria and northern Tasmania, potentially leading to minor to moderate flooding.