The first day of winter didn't disappoint: Canberra dropped to minus 3.6 overnight, dipping lower just before sunrise on Thursday to minus 4.2.
Generally clear skies can be expected through the weekend as temperatures drop to about minus 3 at night, hovering at about 15 degrees during the day.
Weatherzone senior meteorologist Brett Dutschke said Canberra can expect snow next Tuesday night, with chances of snowfall remaining until Thursday.
"I doubt it's going to settle for long on the ground, if it does its probably going to be quite windy [which helps melt the snow]," Mr Dutschke said.
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Mr Dutschke said snow was expected as far north as the NSW central tablelands, but low elevations such as Canberra shouldn't expect much.
"The start of winter looks a better chance of being average sort of rainfall or even above average rainfall," Mr Dutschke said.
He said the further we headed into winter the drier it was expected to be.
Out east, Braidwood was slightly colder at minus 3.7.
This weekend it's expected to receive marginally warmer nights than Canberra but colder days.
Temperatures down at the coast on Bateman's Bay remained above freezing overnight, with a top of 18 expected.
Similar temperatures were expected through the weekend at the coast, with water temperatures to float around a relatively balmy 18 degrees but with three-metre swells.
"Probably feel pretty nice jumping in there in the mornings when it's as cold as it is in the air," Mr Dutschke said.
"Although there's some fairly big waves, not as a big as further north. Pretty rough unless you're an experienced swimmer."
Overnight on Wednesday in the immediate Canberra region, temperatures dropped as low as minus 6.7 at the top of Thredbo or minus 6.5 in Goulburn.
Freezing conditions have allowed Perisher to open one week ahead of the snow season, with the resort expected to open this weekend.