Wild weather hit eastern Australia today bringing snow, sleet and chilly winds.

Cold south westerlies slammed into Brisbane, while Stanthorpe residents woke up to discover a winter wonderland in their backyards.

And two Queensland teenagers have been rescued after being stranded for more than an hour in freezing conditions in the Snowy Mountains.

Cavill McClune reports.

TRANSCRIPT

Brisbane residents stepped into the teeth of a chilly south westerly gale this morning following a week of extreme weather.

The hot dry weather hit early in the week, then the rain came on Thursday and today it was a case of “hang onto your hats” as the gale force winds swept up the east coast of Australia.

The howling winds made a mockery of relaxing in the park.

Out west, it was just as bizarre, with winter snows returning to the border town of Stanthorpe.

But the chilly weather didn’t deter children ready to play giving parents the perfect ‘happy snap’ in a suddenly snowy “alpine” scenery.

Queenslanders weren’t the only ones braving the unseasonably chilly weather, with temperatures in New South Wales plummeting, falling below zero in the Blue Mountains.

Blue Mountains residents could be excused for thinking that winter had returned.

Josh Holt, The Weather Channel: “This is by far the heaviest snowfall I’ve ever seen in Katoomba, let alone just in spring.”

Drivers found icy roads difficult to navigate.

Authorities received hundreds of emergency calls this morning.

In the Northern Tablelands, Guyra was one of the worst hit areas recording 15cm of snow.

There was even snow falling around the nation’s capital. And Canberra recorded a maximum of 8 degrees, making it the coldest October day since 1967.

The cold snap is expected to continue across the weekend.

Cavill McClune, QUT News.