Mostly sunny and calm conditions across southern Australia will turn cold, windy and showery as a front crosses this week.

A high pressure system currently sits over South Australia, bringing above average temperatures and mostly light winds. The mild winter conditions will change for the south of the nation with a strengthening cold front.

The front will reach Perth on Tuesday night bringing a cold airmass and the chance of shower or two each day until Thursday. Friday will be the coldest day, reaching only 15 degrees under mostly sunny skies.

Adelaide will experience fresh northwesterly winds on Thursday before a shower or two with the arrival of the front late in the day. Friday will be wet and windy, only reaching 14 degrees, with most of the day feeling like 10. On Saturday conditions will ease with fewer showers and lighter winds, but still only a top of 14. Mornings will then become colder as days become warmer into next week.

In Melbourne a shower or two may affect the city today. From Tuesday until Thursday morning the weather will be quite pleasant with plenty of sunshine. On Thursday, conditions will deteriorate with strengthening northwesterlies and the chance of showers in the evening.

On Friday, the front will arrive early leading to three cold days only reaching 13 or 14 degrees. Thankfully for many there will be substantial amounts of sunshine between the occasional shower.

Snow is also on its way to the resorts. Falls of 10-20cm will be widespread across the resorts above 1500 metres between Thursday and Saturday. The lower slopes will even get flurries between showers with the snow level likely to drop as low as 1200 metres at times. The snow will be very welcome as many runs are still closed for this first week of the school holidays.

– Weatherzone