Travelers at Sydney Airport should anticipate significant delays this morning as fierce winds persist. A cold front moving across Australia’s southeast has brought winds of up to 100km/h, along with rain and blizzard conditions affecting parts of Victoria and New South Wales. Consequently, Sydney Airport is operating only a single runway with gusts reaching 50km/h.
Flight Cancellations and IT Outages
At least six flights departing Sydney this morning have been canceled, with nine inbound flights also scrapped across Virgin, Jetstar, and Qantas. A Sydney Airport spokesperson attributed these disruptions to both severe weather and the residual impact of Friday’s IT outage.
Airservices Australia will maintain operations on the east-west runway, potentially causing further delays throughout the day. Although IT systems are back online, individual airlines might still face disruptions.
Emergency Responses and Wind Damage
State Emergency Services (SES) responded to over a thousand calls overnight, including 522 incidents in the Sydney metropolitan area involving fallen trees and toppled powerlines. On the Northern Beaches, damaging winds caused scaffolding to collapse, with gusts recorded up to 60km/h early this morning.
Meanwhile, the season’s first widespread snowfall blanketed ski resorts in New South Wales. Thredbo received 32 centimeters of snow overnight, while Victoria’s Hotham recorded 45 centimeters in the last 48 hours, and Mount Baw Baw saw 28 centimeters.
Warnings and Weather Updates
A damaging wind warning is in effect for southeastern parts of the country, including Perth. Following Friday’s strong winds in Sydney that caused a tree to fall on a light rail carriage, conditions are expected to ease by this afternoon.
Victoria and Snow Conditions
Victoria woke to a blanket of snow, affecting police vehicles. A warning has been issued for motorists driving in snowy conditions. Today’s forecast for Victoria includes cool temperatures with a high chance of showers, reaching a maximum of 16 degrees. Wet weather is likely to continue tomorrow, with wind gusts up to 25km/h.
Weather in Queensland and Western Australia
Queensland experienced isolated showers yesterday, which are expected to continue along the east coast through the weekend. Perth is bracing for several more days of rain and cool temperatures, with prevailing westerly winds.
Tasmania and South Australia Weather
Hobart will experience rain and cool temperatures, peaking at just 14 degrees today. Adelaide will see showers and high winds continue, having recorded at least 10 days of rain according to Weatherzone. More rain is anticipated in the coming days.
