<P> Snow at sea level is occasionally recorded on mainland Australia, but is more frequent in Tasmania where snowfalls at sea level can occur during the winter months . Snow has been recorded across most of Tasmania, though it is rare on the northern coast at sea level . Snow is rare in the southernmost capitals like Melbourne and Hobart, falling less than once every five years, and in the other capitals it is unknown (however snow has fallen in the hill suburbs of Perth and Adelaide). However, there are extensive, well - developed ski fields in the Great Dividing Range, a few hours' drive from Melbourne and Sydney . Light snow generally falls every winter in Canberra, however, and other cities that may receive regular seasonal snowfalls include Orange, Oberon, Lithgow and Katoomba in New South Wales . </P> <P> The occasional cold snap, caused by cold air drifting north from Antarctica, can cause significant snowfall in rural areas, as well as major cities such as Hobart, Melbourne's outer mountain suburbs and Canberra . Such occasions are rare, but have occurred in 1958, 1965, 1986, 2005 and 2015, the 1965 event causing snow to fall as far north as Eungella, near Mackay in tropical Queensland . Extreme snow events have also produced snow as far north - west as Longreach in Queensland and in the ranges near Alice Springs, and also in lowland towns such as Dubbo and Wagga Wagga in New South Wales . The frequency and intensity of such events has been decreasing significantly over the past 40 years and the most northerly occurrence of snow in this time frame has been the Bunya Mountains in southern Queensland . </P> <P> The tropical savannah zone of Northern Australia is warm to hot all year round . Summers are hot in most of the country with average January maximum temperatures exceeding 30 ° C over most areas of the mainland, except for those at high elevations though . Winters are warm in the north and cool in the south, with nightly frosts common in inland areas south of the Tropic of Capricorn . Only at the highly elevated areas do wintertime temperatures approach those found in much of Europe or North America, especially the southern parts . </P> <P> Temperatures in Australia have followed an increasing trend between the years of 1910 to 2004 by approximately 0.7 ° C. Overnight minimum temperatures have warmed more rapidly than daytime maximum temperatures . The observed warming has hastened in recent years . The late - 20th - century warming has been largely attributed to the increased greenhouse effect . Temperature differences between winter and summer are minor in the tropical region of Australia . However, they are greatest in the southern inland, with seasonal differences along the coast being moderated by the ocean's proximity . In July, a more common latitudinal distribution of average maximums is apparent, ranging from 30 ° C near the north coast to below 3 ° C in the mountainous areas of the south - east . </P>

Does it get cold in australia in winter
find me the text answering this question