Winter Reflections

2020 will be remembered for a lot of things. But for this author, no day stands out quite so much as 4 August when Tasmania experienced a rare meteorological event. A pair of severe low-pressure systems and associated cold fronts to the south of Tasmania brought lightning, heavy rain and snowfall, and even thundersnow in parts of the state. The wild weather wreaked havoc on the state, closing highways and bringing snow down to sea-level at Launceston for the first time since the 1970s. In what felt like the calm before the storm that was to ensue later that day, there was nothing but calm as the sun rose over Edgar Pond in the South-west National Park near Lake Pedder. There wasn't a breath of wind, valley fog had settled at the base of the Western Arthurs, and two black swans (Cygnus atratus), not known to frequent the National Park, appeared on the pond.