After a cold, windy and snowy start to winter, calmer days and frosty nights will return during the coming week.
Monday and Tuesday saw rain and snow falling along the highlands from the alps right up to the Northern Tablelands. This burst of cold weather was right on time for the first two days of winter and it brought the first snow of the season in some parts of northern NSW.
A large high pressure system is taking up residence across southeastern Australia, bringing clearer skies and lighter winds.
These conditions will cause dry days and cold, frosty nights for most of the coming week, but this dominant region of high pressure will also limit rainfall over inland areas until at least the middle of next week.
Despite this dry spell in the opening weeks of winter, seasonal forecast models suggest that above average rainfall is likely over inland districts in the coming months.
Warmer-than-average water to the northwest of Australia is expected to enhance the amount of moisture in the atmosphere over Australia this winter. This will provide the fuel for rain-bearing northwest cloudbands to spread across the country.
If we do see above average rain this winter, it will continue a positive trend from last season. NSW had its wettest autumn in eight years; the Murray Darling Basin had its wettest autumn in a decade.
