Australia hit by fierce storms with blizzard alerts, damaging winds and flood warnings across multiple states

Multiple states have been lashed by fierce downpours and intense wind gusts, sparking severe weather warnings and concern about blizzard conditions in Australia’s alpine hotspots.

A huge low pressure system stretches across much of central Queensland down to Tasmania and curls back up to coastal areas of South Australia.

Severe weather warnings for damaging winds have been issued for most of the southeast and marine wind warnings affect every state.

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned of blizzard conditions in NSW alpine areas above 1900 metres and peak gusts of up to 100km/h elsewhere in the Snowy Mountains including the lower resort slopes at Perisher and Thredbo.

“The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service recommends that back country travel be postponed until conditions improve,” the weather service said in a warning.

The bureau also warned of possible blizzard conditions in Victoria’s high country hotspots Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw, Mt Hotham and Mt Buller, in addition to nearby Dargo and Omeo.

Initial flood warnings have been issued in Tasmania and a road weather alert is current for residents in the state’s east.

“Reduced visibility in heavy rain, with possible water over roads will make road conditions dangerous,” the bureau said.

The monster system has brought 10 to 40mm of rain across Queensland’s southern interior, with the wet expected to push into the state’s southeast on Saturday afternoon.

The wind alert for South Australia’s Flinders and North East Pastoral districts covers much of Saturday.

The BoM forecast is for the most intense rain and thunderstorms to occur at the start of the weekend before mostly clearing by Sunday.

“We’ll still see the leftover remnants of this system clearing the east coast but generally, it should be a fine, partly cloudy day,” Senior Meteorologist Dean Narramore said.