While NSW kids laugh their way down the ski slopes in a bumper week of the winter break, Victorian school kids head back to the classrooms on Monday.  

The much talked about wintry blast is set to peak over Melbourne on Monday with a miserable, rainy 12 degrees currently forecast. In fact, most of the day will likely be closer to 10 degrees and wind chill will make it feel more like 5 or 6 degrees.

Tuesday doesn’t look much better with more rain and a top of 13 degrees. The amount of rainfall and strength of winds will depend a lot on how a low pressure system develops over the Bass Strait, but that will be of little interest to those either huddled undercover or stuck inside playing board games on a rainy-day timetable. 

Showers and rain should ease considerably from about Wednesday, but temperatures will remain stubbornly around 13 degrees all week, close to the July average of 13.5 degrees. 

Victorians shouldn’t complain too much; Tasmania is easily copping the worst of the weather next week. Hobart looks set to shiver with maximums of only 10 degrees and freezing southerly winds making it feel close to zero. Add to that up to 100mm of rainfall over the next four days, leading to the potential for flooding and putting more than a dampener on the second week of the school holidays.

The only cold comfort to Melbourne students is that mid-July is the coldest part of the year and things should warm up ever so slightly from here. 

We’ll be sure to bring you many more updates on this system in the coming days so be sure to check all of the latest warnings and forecasts!