A winter-like blast is coming for much of Australia’s south-east from Friday evening, accompanied by strong winds, showers, low-level snow and small hail.

If you’re in Melbourne or Hobart – I hope you haven’t put away the waterproof winter jackets yet.

The expected front is the second cool change for the region this week, after a gusty front brought showers, storms and strong winds on Wednesday, causing Melbourne’s temperature to drop 5C in one hour in the afternoon.

The front is expected to bring showers across Tasmania throughout Friday, with the first rain crossing Victoria overnight.

Chilly conditions, showers and even storms with small hail are all possible throughout Saturday as two capital struggles to reach the mid-teens. Melbourne is forecast to only reach a high temperature of 14C on Saturday – 8 below the November average.

Hobart is also forecast to hit 14C, with snow capping Kunanyi/ Mount Wellington to help set a wintry scene.

Low level snow is forecast in both states – as low as 500m in Tasmania and 800m in Victoria.

That’s not unheard of in November but it could cause dangerous driving conditions for alpine regions.

The wintry system won’t end there – the next stop is a likely ‘Southerly Buster’ for Sydney on Saturday afternoon –  one of the east coast’s more infamous weather phenomena.

The Harbour City looks to nudge 30C with sunshine by the early afternoon – but take heed if you have outdoor plans – the weather will change fast with sudden, strong gusts, rain or a storm, and the mercury plummeting by 10C in less than three hours.

A cool, windy Sunday will follow the new coast with showers.  

This chilly weather system is the stark contrast with the noticeably rising heat over northern Australia, in typical ‘build’ up fashion, the days are heating up, and the nights aren’t cooling down below the mid 20’s.

Heatwave warnings remain in place into the weekend across WA’s Pilbara and Kimberley, the northern territory Top End and from Queensland’ Cape York Peninsula to the Whitsundays.

Temperatures in the northwest have already broken November heat records this week – with Mandora in WA the standout, hitting 47.4C on Wednesday – the equal third warmest November reading ever recorded in WA.

This stark contract is resulting in Saturday’s high temperatures differing by over 30C from Australia’s northwest to southeast – parts of the Kimberley and Pilbara rising to the mid 40s as the mercury struggles into the teens in Victoria and Tasmania.

While high temperature contracts are common in spring, they are normally closer to a 20C split between the north and the south at this time of year.

Based on our climatology, it’s as high a difference between north and south that we could ever see.

For the latest weather and warnings this weekend, watch News24 Weather on Channel 601 on Foxtel or stream at  https://www.news24.com.au/watch/

Read related topics:Australian Weather