Australia weather: Winter blast to hit NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Adelaide over Easter long weekend

It’s looking like Australians will be opting for hot chocolates instead of Easter eggs with a cold blast set to create shivering temperatures across the long weekend.

NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia are all expected to be hit by the unfortunate weather.

Temperatures are expected to be ‘well below average’ with rain forecast across much of the nation according to Bureau of Meteorology Senior Meteorologist Sarah Scully.

‘Showers and thunderstorms are forecast across eastern and southern New South Wales on Friday, with the potential for severe storms along the east coast and adjacent mountain ranges, bringing damaging winds, large hail and heavy rain,’ she said.

A burst of unusually cold mid-autumn weather is set to hit the nation’s southeast this weekend (pictured is a Weatherzone map showing the temperatures across Australia)

‘Showers are forecast in the south on Saturday, contracting to the ranges on Sunday, before becoming dry throughout on Monday.

‘Hazardous surf conditions are forecast to develop on the south and central coast during Sunday, extending to the north coast on Monday.’

Melbourne is set to have its coldest Easter Sunday since 1946, with wet and windy conditions on the way according to WeatherZone meteorologist Ben Domensino.

Friday is set to see a combinations of showers, possible storms and clouds bring in the cool change, with daytime temperatures hovering around 20C, with the weekend to only get worse.

South to south-westerly winds will bring in cold air through Melbourne, with daytime temperatures only expected to reach around 18ºC on Saturday, 15ºC on Sunday and 16ºC on Monday.

‘The cold snap will be driven by a strong cold front lurching northwards and dragging a frigid air mass towards Australia from the Southern Ocean,’ Mr Domensino said.

NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia are all expected to be hit by the unfortunate weather (pictured, a woman battles the rain in Melbourne)

Plenty of rain will fall across the south-east this weekend (pictured is a Sky News weather map)

‘The last time Melbourne had an Easter Sunday at or below 15ºC was in 1943, when the temperature only climbed to 14.3ºC.’

Southeast Queensland is at risk of being hit by severe thunderstorms on Good Friday according to Ms Scully.

‘Severe thunderstorms are possible for southeast Queensland on Good Friday, before settling down to drier conditions for much of the state from Saturday,’ she said.

‘Temperatures will be above average on Friday, contracting to the east from Saturday.’

South Australia is expected to suffer through a wet, cold and windy Friday and Saturday, with breaks of sunshine on Sunday and Monday.