The Barrington Tops are likely to get a dusting today, but police are warning people not to head up into the mountains.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting snowfall above 1100 meters but will be accompanied by strong winds gusting between 25 and 40 kilometres per hour and possible electrical storms later this afternoon.
During extreme weather, the status of roads on Barrington Tops can change quickly, with access cut at short notice leaving people stuck in sub-zero temperatures.
Hunter Valley Police District Chief Inspector Guy Guiana said in addition to the usual safety hazards that these weather events present to the public, sight-seeing is not a reasonable excuse to leave your home during the Covid-19 lockdowns and hefty fines apply.
“Operation Stay At Home is still underway, and NSW Police will be actively checking to see who is out and about, and under the stay at home orders certainly going to see snow is not a reasonable excuse to leave home,” Chief Inspector Guiana said.
“We’ve been very active out on the roads and in the townships speaking to people and checking their reasons for being out,” he said.
Highway patrol will be keeping a close eye on the roads up into the mountains as we see out the last of this year’s snow season, cut short for many by Covid restrictions.
“Today will be no different, highway patrol will give us a significant presence on the roads heading up to the Barringtons and in the Upper Hunter,” Chief Inspector Guiana said.
“Unless you live up on top of the Barringtons you’ll just need to wait until next time.”
Until then, there’s always pictures.
