@waggawerewolf27 and @pete, I had a video call with my family in Australia last night (Boxing Day morning for them) and they were telling me about the snow in Tasmania!!   I remember Christmases in southern Victoria, where I come from, when it was rainy and it only got up to 15°C (that's winter weather in Australian terms), but we never actually had snow.

I can vouch for the "four seasons in one day" thing with Melbourne, though (and the same goes for our home town, about 150 km to the south-east). Or as my dad likes to put it, "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes!"  

Posted by: @courtenay

Or as my dad likes to put it, "If you don't like the weather, just wait five minutes!"  

That is a popular quote here as well - or, its variant, "Heat on in the morning and air conditioning by afternoon."

Christmas was unusually mild here - so much so that it actually rained here last night! Keep in mind that snow, or temperatures well below 0F/-17C, are more the norm here this time of year.

Today (Boxing Day) is also warm, but cold returns Sunday, with some snow and wind chills way below zero F (colder than -20C).

We're experiencing the start of a few days of a heatwave, here in north-western Victoria, in fact, much of Australia is experiencing this heatwave even down to Tasmania.  Here where I live, today's temperature is predicted to get to 41 degrees C (which is about 105.8 degrees F I believe).  The next two days are expected to be similar temperatures.

Today I was supposed to drive to support someone closer about 50min drive from where I live (he lives closer to Ballarat), however a fire has broken out in state forest between me and him and so work for me has had to be cancelled.  The fire warning was recommending evacuation for people in the near vicinity of it, but it has been slightly downgraded to "watch and act" - basically, be prepared in case you need to evacuate.

Rain and/or showers are predicted along with cooler temperatures for Saturday and the weekend.  Please pray for the fire fighters and people in affected areas.

@pete And in the meantime, in Cheshire and elsewhere in the UK, we had snow on the ground for the past couple of days until some rain melted it away last night! I've been comparing notes with my parents, in southern Victoria, and we've all been remarking on the contrast. Fortunately they're on the coast, in a area that hasn't had bushfires anywhere near within living memory. But that's awful to hear about the fire near Ballarat. Yes, prayers for all those who are there and let's hope the rain comes soon. 

@pete Rain and/or showers are predicted along with cooler temperatures for Saturday and the weekend.  Please pray for the fire fighters and people in affected areas

I certainly hope & pray so, because that heatwave you mentioned is full-on in Western Sydney as well. So far, it seems, bushfires have been kept at bay by judicious backburning a few months ago, and thankfully, the winds are off the sea, rather than those westerlies, which whip up the flames. What a summer this one has become! Snow on Christmas Day on Mt Wellington, now we are up to the 40C temperatures again. I can't wait until Easter & cooler temperatures again. 😓 😓 😓 😓

Posted by: @waggawerewolf27

I can't wait until Easter & cooler temperatures again. 😓 😓 😓 😓

Amen to that!  Actually looking at the forecast - it looks like the rain/showers I mentioned in the previous post are not expected this weekend, although we are getting back to normal (mid-high 20s temperatures).

Thankfully the fire I mentioned in my previous post has been gotten under control after there were nearly 50 fire trucks fighting it at one stage.  There are two other serious blazes burning in Victoria at the moment.  And Friday's fire conditions are predicted to be catastrophic (the highest/most concerning rating).  So definitely not out of the woods yet, so continued prayers for all in fire-prone areas especially that the worst of the conditions don't come to pass, and that no lives would be lost and for the firefighters (as I mentioned before) would be great!

I'm in England, where winter is cold, damp, and delivers rain and snow. So far my journeys have been safe. Tomorrow I travel to London, where it might be a tiny bit less cold. 

On Monday I fly out to return to New Zealand. I'm so looking forward to summer. 

I have not had the chance to post here for a month, but just got caught up: it is interesting to hear about everyone's Christmas weather. Here, we were a bit mild, but we already had lots of snow, which remained over the warmer spell, melting only a bit, then good ol' cold wintry weather returned in later December, with more snow, snow, snow! Last Christmas we had a blast making a huge snowman with our granddaughter. This year, 'though, the snow was not moist enough to build anything. Still, very pretty.

Aside from a few periodic days, we have had snow falling regularly, plus, for the most part, the temperature has stayed well below freezing for everything to remain beautifully white. 

I cannot recall the last time we saw the sun. I am fine with that, but many locals are not.

The next couple of days are unusually mild (9 and 10°C / around 50°F), with rain. We are hoping our snow will not completely disappear with the strong winds and rain. But this is still January, so lots more opportunity for snow in the next couple of months! And a cold front arrives Saturday night, with flurries a good chunk of next week.  

@Courtenay wrote:

(There are ominous rumours of a massive snowstorm to sweep over most of the UK at the start of the New Year... bring it on, I say. I love snow. ) 

Hear-hear! And did that huge snowstorm come to fruition? 

@Pete wrote:

Rain and/or showers are predicted along with cooler temperatures for Saturday and the weekend. Please pray for the fire fighters and people in affected areas.

Sorry to hear that anticipated rainfall did not arrive, Pete, with normal temps arriving. This still sounds like a very serious situation.  

@waggawerewolf27:

Snow on Christmas Day on Mt Wellington, now we are up to the 40C temperatures again. I can't wait until Easter & cooler temperatures again.

Wagga. That is hot! I hope your cooler weather arrives in a timely manner. 

In looking at the long-range forecast here, there are mighty few days that are above freezing, so winter will be settling in again. Hurrah!

Safe travels back home, coracle! 

Posted by: @jo

And did that huge snowstorm come to fruition? 

Sort of, in Cheshire. We had some snow on the ground for a couple of days before the rain washed it away. There may be more in the next few days before the weather is predicted to warm up (slightly) on Monday or so. 

Meanwhile, it's raining outside right now - in January, when it could easily be -25F/-32C (the statistically coldest time of the year is almost upon us). It's resulted in some icy streets each day, but by afternoon it has warmed up enough (usually) to melt the ice.

We still have plenty of snow on the ground despite the warm temperatures and rain trying to melt it.

We've gained about 15 minutes of sunlight in the evening, and by January 17 the sun will set as late as 5pm local time (for the first time since early November when we returned to standard time).

@jo That is hot! I hope your cooler weather arrives in a timely manner.

It gets worse. Today we, in Sydney, are expecting a high of 43C, whilst Victoria is a mess. I hope & pray that @Pete is okay, when there are several dangerous bushfires in Central & Northern Victoria, below the border with New South Wales. There is supposed to be rain tomorrow, & a break in this heat would be most welcome.  

I'm fine here, thanks for your concern @waggawerewolf27.  We had the power off for about 3 hours yester afternoon when it was still about 44C - but that and the smoke in the air is about as bad as it got here!  There have been a few fires popping up nearby, but the firefighters around here are really efficient and good at getting them under control.

The bigger concern is for several out of control fires elsewhere throughout the state, with no real reprieve on the horizon.  Today and tomorrow have been declared total fire ban days for the whole state, and I imagine that may remain the case for some time.  Some of the worst affected areas were badly affected in the Black Saturday fires of 2009 too!  Prayers definitely appreciated. 

@pete The bigger concern is for several out of control fires elsewhere throughout the state, with no real reprieve on the horizon

For the past four days we have had on and off rain, and I've wondered if this rain band is reaching Victoria? I've also heard on the radio of snow in much of UK. It seemed to have affected England from Manchester, where we heard of a nasty accident, near Bolton, I think it was, because of the ice, right down to London. Though by now, any such snow would have passed, surely?

@waggawerewolf27 I think there has been more than one dousing of snow in the North. 

Now I'm home in NZ, and I'm feeling disappointed in the weather here! Several days of rain. Getting unpacked and washing all the clothes I used for 10 weeks really needs sun for outdoor drying. I've got two loads on drying racks inside. Meanwhile a pale snail is slowly sliding along my deck, enjoying a little puddle on the wood. 

I'm disappointed because I need the sun for vitamin D, and to give me some colour. 

Posted by: @waggawerewolf27

For the past four days we have had on and off rain, and I've wondered if this rain band is reaching Victoria?

At this stage no, we have not had any substantial rain where I am, for a while.  There was a small amount of rain soon after the heatwave of last week, but nothing of real substance.  Other parts of Victoria seem to be getting rainfall and flash-flooding too however.  In fact much of the most eastern parts of Victoria were under "watch and act" alerts (later downgraded to "advice" level) for severe storms with flash flooding today - nothing here though.  I notice according to the BOM that we may be expecting some rain on Monday or Tuesday of next week, which would be most welcome.