Snow settles in Tasmania as fires burn in state's east and north
Summer snow settled on Tasmania’s Central Highlands on Sunday as a wintry air mass spread over the state in the wake of a cold front. But these cool winds are also causing High fire danger ratings in the state’s east, where a number of fires continue to burn.
Sunday’s summer snow
Cold air spread over Tasmania on Sunday causing temperatures to plummet, with Hobart’s temperature hovering around 10°C at lunchtime as the top of Mount Wellington failed to reach 4°C.
The state’s Central Highlands became cold enough for snow to settle in some of the usual cold spots, including Miena at the southern end of Great Lake.
Image: Snow on the ground in Miena on Monday, December 15, 2025. Source: @thisbellaidea / Instagram.
The lingering cold air also caused some teeth-chattering minimum temperatures on Monday morning, with widespread frost covering parts of the state’s inland. The state’s lowest temperature was -2.6°C at kunanyi / Mount Wellington, while Liawenee also dropped to -0.9°C.
Image: Frost at Miena on Monday, December 15, 2025. Source: @thisbellaidea / Instagram.
In addition to the cold temperatures, powerful winds have been buffeting Tas over the last couple of days. Kunanyi / Mount Wellington registered a wind gust of 122 km/h on Sunday, while the more exposed Maatsuyker Island clocked a gust of 144 km/h.
Fires lingering
Despite the notable drop in temperatures on Sunday, fire danger ratings remain in the High category over much of eastern Tasmania on Monday. This is because the winds are dry on the eastern side of the state due to the Central Highlands acting like a shield from the rain.
Numerous fires have been burning in eastern and northern Tasmania on Monday, although as of 1pm AEDT, none were at Watch and Act or Emergency Warning level, but a few Advice warnings were in place.
Image: Fire danger ratings in Tasmania on Monday, December 15, 2025. Source: Weatherzone.
One of the fires under an Advice from the Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) on Monday was the Dolphin Sands fire, which destroyed 19 homes last week. The TFS is advising residents to return with caution and states that “although there is no immediate danger, residents need to monitor conditions and be alert for any changes.”
Wind and fire danger will ease over Tasmania on Tuesday as a high pressure system drifts across southeastern Australia.