Ferocious winds are set to batter parts of Australia as a savage weather front thousands of kilometres long brings near freezing temperatures and huge seas.
Wind gusts of up to 100km per hour are expected to hit an extensive area stretching from the New South Wales mid-north coast down to Victoria and Tasmania.
The wild weather arose from a cold front making its way through Bass Strait after arriving in Australia on Wednesday.
Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino said the series of cold fronts resulted from strong and slow-moving region of high pressure positioned over southwestern Australia.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings and marine wind warnings for every state and territory.
Ferocious winds are going to batter parts of Australia as a savage weather front thousands of kilometres long is set to hit the country
Wind gusts of up to 100km per hour are expected to hit the New South Wales mid-north coast
The wild weather is the result of a second cold front making its way through Bass Strait after the first hit the country’s south-east on Wednesday
Marine wind warnings were in place for the Northern Territory, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales.
Meanwhile, there were severe weather warnings for the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales.
The system passed over Tasmania and Victoria on Wednesday night before pushing further north on Thursday.
Tasmania felt the worst of the ferocious weather, with wind gusts of up to 148km per hour recorded off the southern tip on Wednesday morning.
Gale force winds are again expected to hit the state, with a severe weather warning in place for many districts.
Hobart’s forecast maximum for Thursday was 11C, rising to 15C for Friday.
Southern NSW felt the brunt of the wild weather on Thusday morning while Sydney was expected to receive it later in the afternoon.
Strong to gale-force winds affected parts of the Southern Tablelands, Snowy Mountains, South Coast and Central Tablelands in the morning and were expected to linger into the early afternoon.
Coastal areas south of Sydney were affected in the morning, while Sydney was set to experience the windiest weather in the afternoon and early evening while easing overnight.
Places that may be affected include Newcastle, Gosford, Sydney, Wollongong, Nowra, Batemans Bay, Canberra, Goulburn, Cooma, Yass, and Barrington Tops.
State Emergency Services are warning people to move vehicles under cover or away from trees and secure loose items around the house.
Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino said the series of cold fronts are the result of a strong and slow-moving region of high pressure positioned over southwestern Australia
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued severe weather warnings and marine wind warnings for every state and territory
The Bureau of Meteorology also warned boat owners, skippers and rock fishers to expect dangerous surf conditions with waves reaching up to seven metres high along most of the NSW coast.
These are expected to create hazardous conditions for rock fishing, boating and swimming along the Macquarie, Hunter, Sydney, Illawarra, Batemans and Eden coasts, the BOM says.
Roads and Maritime Services reminded boaters to take extra care and be aware of the risk of hypothermia.
RMS also advised skippers and owners of small craft to check weather conditions before they considered crossing a coastal bar or heading offshore. Those already on the water should carry appropriate safety equipment and wear a life-jacket.
Skippers were advised to consider staying out of the water and to avoid walking near surf-exposed areas.
Rock fishermen are advised to avoid fishing near dangerous surf, to wear a life-jacket and check weather forecasts before heading out. They should seek a safe location sheltered from the surf and avoid coastal rock platforms which are exposed to the ocean.
Temperatures will get to a frosty 7C in Sydney on Friday but will rise to a maximum 23C with sunny conditions on Sunday.
Canberra’s temperatures will drop to a freezing -5C on Friday morning with a maximum of 15C.
BOM has warned those in Victoria that storm-force winds are expected to hit the East Gippsland Coast on Thursday, while gale-force winds will hit the Central Coast and Central Gippsland Coast.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned boat owners, skippers and rock fisher to expect dangerous surf conditions with waves reaching up to seven metres high along a large section of the NSW coast (stock)
Marine wind warnings are currently in place for the Northern Territory, Tasmania, South Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales
Damaging winds of up to 100km per hour will hit those in East Gippsland and parts of North East and West and South Gippsland Forecast Districts.
While the winds will be at the worst in the morning, they are expected to ease in the west closer to midday while winds in the east will ease during the afternoon.
Showers are also expected in parts of Victoria, with flood warnings in place for the Latrobe River while the Upper yarra, Bunyip and South Gippsland Catchments remain on flood watch.
Parts of Victoria and Tasmania have been issued flood warnings due to the risk of waves up to 15 meters high.
Melbourne’s temperatures will drop to 5C on Friday before rising to a minimum of 9C over the weekend with peaks of up to 17C.
There is a current warning in place for the Northern Territory with strong winds expected to hit the Roper Groote Coast on Thursday.
Darwin will remain sunny and warm for the rest of the week with temperatures ranging from 19C to 32C.
Wind gusts of up to 148km/h were recording off the southern tip of Tasmania on Wednesday morning (stock)
One of the cold fronts passed through on Wednesday and the other is expected to pass through on Thursday
Normally sunny Queensland will also be affected by the cold front sweeping the country, with a strong wind warning in place for the Fraser Island Coast, Sunshine Coast Waters and Gold Coast Waters.
The winds are expected to pick up on Thursday and remain until Friday.
Brisbane will see the lowest temperature for the week on Friday with just 10C.
South Australia’s Lower South East Coast also has a marine wind warning as winds hit coastal areas from Thursday to Friday.
Adelaide is looking to avoid much of the wild weather with a minimum temperature on Friday sitting at 7C but rising to 18C as a maximum on Saturday.
Strong winds are also due to hit Western Australia over the coming two days, affecting Perth Local Waters, Geraldton Coast, Lancelin Coast, Perth Coast, Bunbury Geographe Coast, Leeuwin Coast and Albany Coast.
Perth will see a chilly, cloudy day on Saturday at just 5C before becoming warmer for the beginning of next week.