Melbourne Cup: Coldest race day in a quarter of a century forecast

Racegoers are advised to take some warm wet weather gear for today's Melbourne Cup Day . Photo / Michael Dodge, Getty Images, File

Lunar Flare is one of the fancied runners at today’s Melbourne Cup, but it’s an Antarctic flare that could cause weather misery at Flemington.

One weather service has said it could be at least as “miserable” as the coldest recent Cup.

Showers are due to start in the late morning on Tuesday and there’s even the chance of thunderstorms as the mercury fails to even reach the mid-teens in Melbourne.

The polar chill could also lead to the “remarkable” occurrence of snow across a swath of Victoria and New South Wales – uncommon in October.

“A few things are contributing to this wild weather,” said Sky News Weather meteorologist Alison Osborne, who described the conditions as an “icy blast”.

Ground staff place covers over the wicket as rain causes the cancelation of the T20 World Cup cricket match between Australia and England in Melbourne. Photo / AP

“First, cold air straight from the Antarctic is moving up and over the southeast.

“At the same time the jet stream, the strong belt of westerly winds that whips around the world in both hemispheres, is exceptionally strong. And as it moves further east, it will help to bring powerful thunderstorms into Monday and then Tuesday as well.

“At the same time the mercury is set to drop with showers, storms, and small hail just in time for Cup Day,” Osborne said, adding that it could be the coldest Melbourne Cup since 1995.

Website Weatherzone has commented that it’s very likely the chill will at least be on a par with Cup Day 2017, “when the temperature was a miserable 14.4C at 3pm as the race jumped.”

“There’s every chance it will be even colder at 3pm in Melbourne [today].”

The current forecast high for Flemington is 14C but it could indeed be a touch chillier than that as the race begins. The low is for 9C.

There is a 95 per cent chance of rain, stated the Bureau of Meteorology, with possible thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening as well as hail. The showers, which will see 8-10mm in the gauge, could start from late morning.

Temperature wise, Melbourne will see similar on Wednesday and Thursday although the rain should ease. The city will likely get warmer – into the twenties – for the weekend.

Much of the south east is on the same trajectory, said Osborne.