More Snow on the Way

THE last of the snow on Tomalla is hiding in the shadows, the owners of the Victoria Hotel at Moonan Flat are catching their breath, reckless drivers have once again flocked to the Range, accidents have occurred and the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting a heavier fall tomorrow afternoon as another cold mass moves through.

Snowman, by Dan and Sally of Tomalla.

Rob Taggart, duty forecaster at the Bureau of Meteorology said tomorrow afternoon there may be another five centimetres or more of snow fall on the Barrington.

“Another cold air mass moving over tomorrow with some rain and showers, we’re looking at snow over the Barrington Tops with the snow level falling to about 1000-900 metres during the day tomorrow,” said Mr Taggart.

“When the really cold air comes through there’s not going to be as much rainfall so not as much snow,” he said.

“There is a chance there may be a light dusting of snow on the higher parts of the Range around Murrurundi,” he said.

“The next system comes through will be on Friday and again there is a chance of snow fall over the Barrington Tops but at this stage it is too far away to say confidently how much, it might be in the order of a couple of centimetres,” he said.

“It’s not a really strong cold front like the one on Friday, so it shouldn’t get too windy,” Rob Taggart said.

Tomorrow Scone is expected to reach a top of 11 degrees and the Barrington will reach a maximum of 2 degrees.

The Victoria Hotel at Moonan Flat, the last warm food before the snow.

Kathy Barnett, owner of the Victoria Hotel at Moonan Flat said they have been over run with people headed to the snow and cautions drivers to be careful on the road.

“There have been hundreds of people up here,  we’ve been flat out for two days in the restaurant,” said Ms Barnett.

“We could’ve booked the rooms 20 times over on the weekend,” she said.

“There was about an inch and a half that dropped and there was a four-wheel-drive that rolled over up there, there was lots of people,” she said.

Her advice to people headed to see the snow is “just not to be stupid.”

“The road’s really icy, so just tourist about slowly; I think a lot of the young fellas in four-wheel-drives go up there and think they can hoon about and have fun in the snow, but there are lots of families that are going up there with kids doing the right thing and driving slower and it is frightening when there are mad four-wheel-drives scooting about everywhere,” Kathy Barnett said.

The Scone-Gloucester Road is currently closed due to the icy and slippery conditions.

There are many Facebook comments about reckless driving on the Ranges, several accidents and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter was called to air lift a 15 year old boy with a suspected spinal injury.

His mum posted the following on a Facebook page: “Our day ended 15 mins after we arrived some xxxx head going too fast on icey road at Thunterbolt Lookout we were hit from behind son flown out by helicopter suspected spinal injury and kidney. I’m so xxxxxx off right now my beautiful boy is in emergency while people just don’t get it. SLOW DOWN.”

Juanita McCarthy, area manager for the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) Area Manager Juanita McCarthy said the Barrington Tops Forest Road is extremely slippery and icy in places.

Motorists are advised to exercise extreme care when driving due to the slippery conditions.

The conditions are challenging, even for four wheel drive vehicles.

“A number of incidents occurred yesterday which led to the NSW Ambulance having to transport people who had been injured in a 6-car incident along the Barrington Tops Forest Road,” Ms McCarthy said.

“The Westpac rescue helicopter was also required,” she said.

“NPWS staff are working on the road today and tomorrow to help maintain visitor safety,” she said.

“We will continue to assess road conditions and advise as soon as they are reopened,” Juanita McCarthy said.