<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A monster blizzard is forecast to smother large parts of south-eastern Australia late this week, potentially bringing the largest snow falls this winter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>While alpine regions in NSW and Victoria are set to bear the brunt, lower lying areas are also expected to receive snow flurries and powerful winds, </span><a href="https://www.weatherzone.com.au/news/biggest-coldest-blizzard-of-the-season-about-to-hit-the-alps/1890835" rel="" target="_blank" title="Weatherzone "><span>Weatherzone</span></a><span> reports.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Early this week, ski resorts got a taste of what is coming when winds of more than 80km/h forced the closure of lifts at Thredbo in NSW and Mount Hotham in Victoria.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE UPDATES:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/porepunkah-victoria-police-shooting-live-updates-latest-news-headlines-august-27/5ee3d7e6-9199-4943-b773-97824e918a23" target="_blank"><strong><span>Police search rural Victoria for alleged cop killer</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But those gusts are expected to strengthen to 100km/h as the initial cold front tracks to the mountains today, and again on Friday when a second cold front approaches.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Weather forecasters say the extreme conditions are being generated by polar air masses over the Great Australian Bight.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Areas that can expect a dumping of snow include the NSW Central Tablelands, west of Sydney, and a large stretch of Victoria, north of Melbourne.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/australia-weather-update-coldest-blizzard-of-winter-heading-for-alps/5d9cc0ab-8bd0-4bd0-8485-9b8f11b72581" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>From late tomorrow into Friday, falls will hover at about 1000 metres or slightly lower.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>But when the coolest polar air crosses the mountains early on Saturday, the snow line is likely to fall to as low as 500 metres.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/spring-weather-forecast-australia-2025-what-to-expect-everything-to-know-explainer/3e51b48f-caf0-474c-8466-2a6a38451a18" target="_blank"><strong><span>A warmer and wetter spring in store for much of Australia, Bureau of Meteorology says</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Weather watchers and sports fans will be closely watching what happens in Canberra on Saturday in the NRL match between the Canberra Raiders and Wests Tigers at the city's stadium.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2000, both teams clashed in a memorable encounter in Canberra when they played through blizzard conditions. Will history repeat itself?</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Forecasters say by the 3pm kick-off, conditions for snowfalls will have cleared in the ACT, but there'll be chilly temperatures with the chance of the odd snow fall.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The dumping of snow will be welcome by the ski industry, with the season probably extending into late September, or even early October. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Motorists are being warned the snow will leave many roads in a treacherous condition, not just in the alpine regions, but also further afield.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong><span></span></div></div>