Senior meteorologist Richard Carlyon said Friday’s weather will be the nastiest cold snap yet for this winter.
“Some winters we don’t get cold snaps like this,” he said.
“Regional parts of Victoria will certainly be in the single figures for much of Friday with a early maximum of 11 in Melbourne by 11am.
“On the same date last year (June 24) it was 16 degrees and 18 degrees the day before. There was only two 11 degree days in June last year.”
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Winter is coming as a cold snap moves in on the western suburbs by Friday with temperatures set to plummet as low as seven degrees in some areas.
Stormy weather is forecast for the end of the week with the mercury rising to just seven degrees in parts of the Macedon Ranges, nine degrees in Sunbury and 10 in Melton and Laverton.
Lows will drop to just four degrees in much of the west with snowfall to 700 meters at Mt Macedon over the weekend.
According to the Victorian meteorology bureau a deep low-pressure system over the southern Tasman Sea will continue to move south throughout today.
A cold front over the Southern Ocean will reach western Victoria on Thursday afternoon and cross the state on Thursday night.
A stronger cold front will follow on Friday producing a cold southwesterly airstream over the southeast of the continent, meanwhile a high pressure systems will move into the night.
Residents are being encouraged to shelter their pets inside during the cold weather.
Veterinarian Candice Waldhauser, of Sunbury Animal Hospital, said arthritic animals are vulnerable during a cold snap.
“It’s best to keep your pets inside where it’s warm, near a fireplace, especially in they’re older arthritic animals,” she said.
“We see a lot of older dogs and cats come through the vet hospital during this time because the cold weather makes their joints very stiff and sore.
“Pets are also susceptible to catching colds so prevention is the best defence in that case.”
