A day of opposite extremes is forecast today with cold and icy weather set to hit NSW and Victoria while WA prepares for severe fire danger.
A low pressure system east of Tasmania early Wednesday morning will produce strong winds through the Illawarra and eastern parts of the Central Tablelands today.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued a warning for damaging winds averaging 70 kilometres per hour has been issued for the Illawarra and Central Tablelands.
Winds will remain strong and gusty throughout Wednesday before easing in the evening.
Locations which may be affected include Wollongong, Nowra, Bowral, Katoomba, Huskisson and Bilpin.
Surf and swell conditions are also expected to be hazardous for the Macquarie Coast and Hunter Coast.
A gale warning has also been issued for parts of Victoria with the Central Coast, Central Gippsland Coast and East Gippsland regions warned of damaging gusts throughout the day.
A strong wind warning is also current for Western Port, Gippsland Lakes and West Coast.
The conditions come after a freezing cold day yesterday as snow fell across the peaks in both states.
Temperatures hovered around 20C at lunchtime in Sydney however it felt more like 12C.
At 12:30pm yesterday:
- Melbourne was 10.8C with an apparent temp (feels like) of 6.6C
- Canberra was 9.8C with an apparent temp (feels like) of 2.9C
- Sydney was 19.5C with an apparent temp (feels like) of 12.9C
- Thredo Top Station, elevation 1957m, was -2.8C with an apparent temp (feels like) of -17.8C
Ski resorts reported falls of 5 to 10 centimetres overnight with more falling constantly throughout today.
The snowfalls are expected to continue on and off on Thursday and should be at their heaviest in the afternoon and evening.
On the opposite site of the country, WA is being warned of severe fire danger.
Dry conditions with fresh and gusty east to southeast winds expected over the western Kimberley.
The conditions have prompted a severe fire danger warning from the BoM for the West Kimberley Coast.
