Keen Barrington Tops Snow Chasers were sharing pictures of ferns bending under the weight of their snowy coats by lunchtime on Sunday after overnight temperatures dipped.

Watchers, who had been on alert after a cold air system began moving in from the southwest with enough moisture to deliver more than a frost, reported a few centimetres as early as 7.30pm on Saturday. 

Hamlyn Terrace’s Christine Gavin and her family made their maiden trip into the range in the early hours of Sunday. 

The family made it to Thunderbolts Lookout in their two-wheel drive before they were greeted with a winter wonderland. 

“We didn't expect to see snow and we’re blown away at the amount,” Christine Gavin said.

“The scenery is amazing.”

Murrurundi Gap dropped as low as 1.1 degrees at 7.30am on Sunday, reaching a high of only 6.9 degrees. Across the Hunter low temperatures sat in single digits, with Norah Head and Cooranbong hitting relatively balmy heights of 16.5 degrees. 

The latest Barrington Tops snow fall comes just weeks after a three-day dusting in June.

Dry but cold conditions are forecast at Barrington Tops for the next few days, with lows hovering consistently at 0 degrees and forecast highs peaking at seven degrees on Wednesday.

A shower or two is possible on Thursday, when the low temperature is expected to inch up to 1 degree. 

Showers are expected to reach Nobbys earlier, with a partly cloudy Monday with a high of 17 degrees giving way to a shower or two until the weekend and low termperatures of between 7 and 9 degrees. 

A marine wind warning is in place for the Hunter’s coastal waters. Maitland will hold off the rain a bit longer while clear skies and colder nights are expected in Muswellbrook, Singleton and Scone. 

Winter trail closures are in force within Barrington Tops National Park, meaning there is no vehicular access to Little Murray, Junction Pools or Gummi Falls campgrounds.