Australians contending with severe storms and record snowfall

We may be feeling sorry for ourselves after our sunny weather subsided for more seasonable conditions, but things aren’t much better down under as Australians are having to contend with severe storms and record snowfall.

Parts of southeastern Australia were ravaged by stormforce winds bringing rain, hail and the occasional blizzard as wintery conditions wreaked havoc across Melbourne, the country's second largest city, and outlying regions on Monday and Tuesday.

Tens of thousands of homes were left without power as the intense front of freezing weather, which forecasters say occurs only once every few years, swept its way across the state of Victoria felling trees, powerlines and causing a surge in emergency calls.

The severe weather did, however, bring welcome relief to Australian ski resorts after unusually mild weather hampered the traditional start to the country’s ski season.

Areas such as Thredbo and Perisher in the so-called “Australian Alps” received fresh coatings of up to 120 centimetres in the last couple of days following reports of record low snowfalls in early June.

However, for the ordinary non mountain-dwelling Australians the hatches must remain firmly battened down as further weather warnings have been issued for the coming weekend in anticipation of even stronger storms that are set to batter southern and eastern regions, bringing a possible repeat of the reported 138km/h gusts experienced in some areas.

In what may seem like an unusual bit of advice to those less used to reveling in near-equatorial conditions, State Emergency Service volunteers in Victoria are urging homeowners to ensure that outdoor equipment is properly restrained amid reports of trampolines and sheds hurtling around as missiles during the unsettled spell.