Mount Canobolas access roads to be closed following snow forecast

Published on 14 September 2018

Access roads to the summit of Mount Canobolas will be closed tomorrow afternoon (Saturday 15 September 2018) following the forecast that overnight snow showers are possible.
Significant snowfalls are not expected but, acting on advice from the State Emergency Service, Cabonne Council will close boom gates on the mountain access roads.
Staff will inspect the roads on Sunday to determine whether they can be reopened.
The following advice was received from the SES today (Friday 14 September 2018):
A strong cold front will move through the Central West on Saturday. This will bring a very cold air mass overnight Saturday into Sunday. However, this air mass is expected to be quite dry after the front, with insufficient moisture to see significant snowfall.
The most likely scenario is:
•    Snow is possible about higher parts of the Central Tablelands during Saturday night and early Sunday morning.
•    The most likely areas for snow showers are the high parts about and near the Oberon Plateau and Mount Canobolas, generally above 1000 metres.
•    Falls, if any, are generally expected to be very light, with not much more than a dusting of snow anticipated.

A possible, but unlikely, scenario has more moisture in the air mass following the front. In this case:
•    Snow is possible higher parts of the Central Tablelands during Saturday night, mainly above 1000 metres about the Oberon Plateau and Mount Canobolas.
•    Snow levels fall to about 800 metres early Sunday morning, potentially affecting Orange, Blayney and higher parts of the Great Western and Mid Western Highways.
•    Snow falls are still expected to be light in this scenario, with on the ground accumulation generally less than 5cm and most locations receiving no more than a dusting of snow.