Canberra catches a cold as blizzard conditions approach

Cold winds and scattered showers are battering the capital, dragging the temperature down from a top of 12 degrees overnight to a chilly daytime maximum of just 9 degrees. Combined with strong winds, the apparent temperature has barely crept above zero degrees for most of the day.

And it looks as though the cold conditions will continue for at least the afternoon and evening, with a severe weather warning issued for parts of the ACT, forecasting gale force winds and blizzard conditions for areas above 1000m.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Senaka Wijekoon said the culprit for the big chill was a deepening low pressure system sitting over the Bass Strait, wreaking cold weather havoc on parts of south eastern Australia, including heavy rain and freezing temperatures in Melbourne.

"We are getting a very cold air mass coming from the south, and that's moving across us," Mr Wijekoon said. "The wind chill factor is very strong today."

Mr Wijekoon said with temperatures already falling as low as minus 2 degrees on Mt Ginnini and scattered showers making their way across the capital, it was extremely likely there was already some snow on the ACT ranges, with more to come for the afternoon.

And if you were looking forward to an outdoors weekend, it could be time to reconsider, as the forecast points towards similar conditions tomorrow and only a slight reprieve on Sunday.

From Monday, it will be back to classic Canberra winter days, with cool nights and clear days, and maximum temperatures climbing up to 15 degrees by Wednesday.

But along with the clear conditions come forecasts of freezing nights, as temperatures look set to fall as low as minus 4 next week.

"A strong high pressure system [will be] moving into our part of the world, so we will have clear nights and cold temperatures overnight," Mr Wijekoon said. "But daytime temperatures are gradually rising."