Australians are bracing for a powerful polar blast sweeping across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, and Tasmania, bringing destructive winds, fallen trees, and widespread power outages.
Victoria
Emergency Management Commissioner Tim Wiebusch warned that Victorians should expect dangerous conditions, including gusts exceeding 100 km/h, with the worst impacts expected from Friday afternoon into Saturday morning. Five “watch and act” warnings have been issued across the state, with damaging winds recorded at Mt Hotham (113 km/h), Mt Buller (100 km/h), and Horsham (94 km/h).
Residents have been urged to avoid unnecessary travel, secure outdoor items, and charge mobile devices in anticipation of outages. The Victoria State Emergency Service (VICSES) has already received 76 requests for assistance, including incidents involving fallen trees. Meteorologists also cautioned that blizzard conditions could develop in alpine areas, with people advised to remain indoors.
South Australia
Earlier today, a severe storm tore through South Australia, where winds snapped large gum trees, damaged homes, and blocked roads. Wind gusts of up to 130 km/h have been forecast, prompting severe weather and gale warnings for much of the state, including Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Whyalla, Mount Gambier, and Ceduna. The SES has urged residents to keep boats out of the water until conditions ease.
New South Wales
Warnings for damaging winds and possible blizzards remain in place for alpine regions and elevated parts of NSW. Gusts of up to 110 km/h are expected in the Snowy Mountains and surrounding areas, while lower regions could see winds up to 90 km/h. The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service has advised against back-country travel until conditions improve. Locations at risk include Cooma, Thredbo, Perisher, Bowral, and Katoomba, though Sydney is not expected to be impacted and the Sydney Marathon will proceed as planned.
Tasmania
Tasmania has also been placed under a severe weather warning, with King Island, the North West Coast, Central North, Central Plateau, and Midlands forecast districts expected to face winds averaging 60–70 km/h and peak gusts of up to 110 km/h. Conditions are expected to ease by Saturday morning.
Emergency services across all affected states are urging residents to remain vigilant, stay indoors where possible, and prepare for potential disruptions.
