Tom Saunders

The system has now reached peak intensity in terms of pressure and its pressure and peak winds remain equivalent to the strength of a tropical cyclone near the boundary between category one and category two.

A "bomb cyclone" has now formed in the western Tasman Sea, and its intensification is showing signs of being even more explosive than initially forecast.

Forget the headlines and hyperbole of the fictitious "rain bomb" — the real weather bomb is possible along Australia's east coast next week.

The snowy Wednesday will follow the passage of powerful cold fronts, which are also delivering much needed rain, along with small hail and thunderstorms.

Three cold fronts will generate damaging winds, heavy rain, isolated thunderstorms and pockets of small hail across southern states.

The winter solstice has the least amount of incoming heat directly from sunlight. However, for nearly the whole of Australia, the coldest weather does not arrive when the days are shortest.

Much of central and eastern Australia has shivered through its coldest first fortnight of winter in at least three years.

It has been a frosty start to winter, but for many areas of Australia the lower temperatures are coinciding with faster drying clothes.

South-east Australia will collectively shiver this long weekend as a mass of polar air from sub-Antarctic waters brings several days of showers, highland snow and well below average temperatures.

There are multiple signs a boost in rainfall this winter and spring will alleviate the record drought currently crippling southern Australia.

Just as flood levels start to recede along the New South Wales coast, the atmosphere will serve up further severe weather events across Australia during the coming days.

The heaviest falls on Friday will be concentrated around Sydney in the morning, before shifting to the South Coast, and could produce a months' worth of rain in just a few hours.

Torrential falls will continue right through Thursday across the already flooded Mid North Coast catchments, with the potential for a fourth consecutive day of totals well above 100 millimetres.

Heavy rain will drench Australia's east coast next week, but there will be no relief for drought-ravaged South Australia, Victoria and south-west New South Wales.

Increasingly complex technology means forecasts are significantly better than they were decades ago — here's why.

As South Australia and Victoria continue to face drought and unseasonable heat, there has been a notable absence of major rain systems. So, what's going on?

A run of showery and stormy days is soaking Australia's east coast, while a record drought across South Australia and Victoria continues to intensify.

From showers in the east to a chilly dawn service in the west, this is the Anzac Day weather forecast across Australia.

The deluge which battered south-west Queensland is now draining downhill to a catchment area five times the size of the UK.

Since last August, Australia has baked through above-average temperatures and the BOM is predicting another winter of unseasonable heat.

An AI forecast about ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred's path was far more accurate than leading weather models used by meteorological organisations.

Much of Australia is being drenched by rain or thunderstorms this weekend thanks to a rare southern intrusion of very moist equatorial air.

A mass of tropical air forecast to engulf Australia's east coast is set to bring more days of uncomfortable humidity alongside the chance of flooding rains.

With already nine tropical cyclones developing since December, and one potentially forming this week, Australia's busiest cyclone season in 19 years could be on the cards.

A blast of hot northerly winds from Australia's interior will send temperatures up to 15 degrees Celsius above average across south-east states this weekend.