Snow chasers are continuing to arrive at Kunanyi/Mount Wellington despite Pinnacle Road being closed, with visitors being warned to prepare for “arctic” conditions.
Bushland program leader Greg Milne was standing at the Wellington Park gate when snow started falling on him at 470 metres above sea level.
Milne and his team are used to wild weather on kunanyi/Mount Wellington, but today’s conditions have been particularly fierce.
“At the summit, it’s pretty gnarly weather,” Milne told Pulse.
“I think it got to minus 18 or minus 19 in the feels like temperature.”
“The real temperature was minus four and a half earlier this morning and strong winds up to close to 100 kilometres an hour.”
Snow is forecast down to as low as 300 metres through tonight.
Milne said the road will be reassessed on Friday morning.
Snow has fallen across Tasmania’s highlands overnight, with roads closed and warnings issued about dangerous driving conditions.
The Bureau of Meteorology issued a road weather alert for parts of the Western and Central Plateau forecast districts, warning snow-covered roads above 400 metres could make driving conditions dangerous.
Temperatures dropped below freezing across the highlands, with Liawenee reaching minus 2.9 degrees and kunanyi/Mount Wellington recording minus four degrees at 8am.
Despite the road closure on Kunanyi/Mount Wellington, Milne said a steady stream of people were still turning up hoping to get through.
He urged visitors to check the website for road status and safety information before heading up.
While Milne said he loves helping people enjoy the mountain, he does not take the conditions lightly.
“I take the job seriously ’cause it can be a life or death situation,” he said.
He spoke of meeting one well-prepared, experienced visitor who came back from the summit with “a massive beaming smile” on their face.
“But not everyone’s so experienced and not everyone knows what they’re getting themselves in for when they try and reach the summit,” he said.
The most common mistake, Milne said, is people heading up too late in the day and underestimating how long it takes to get back as conditions worsen.
Snow is expected to remain on the mountain for several days, with freezing conditions, ice and restricted access likely through the weekend.
Walking and biking trails remain open when the road is closed, but visitors heading up on foot should take warm layers, waterproof clothing, sturdy shoes, gloves, a hat and a fully charged phone.
Parking at The Springs and the summit is limited and drivers risk fines if they park outside permitted areas.
