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SYDNEY - Southeast Australia experienced one of the coldest August days on record Wednesday, with snow falling in Melbourne and the national capital Canberra. The main city on the southern island of Tasmania, Hobart, was also experiencing its first snowfall in almost two decades after being hit by the bitter Antarctic weather.

The snow was caused by cold air drifting up from Antarctica and had fallen at sea level across southern Victoria state as well as further north into New South Wales. It was quite a severe front, it strengthened as it came up through Hobart and Victoria.

Bureau of Meteorology spokesman Philip King said.

Snow last fell in Melbourne on June 25, 1986 but there had not been a major snowfall there since 1951. King said it was possible that the freezing weather could travel up into the tropical state of Queensland although snow was unlikely to fall too far north.