The weather forecasters were spot on with their predictions and the southerly change that swept across the region on Friday night brought decidedly unpleasant conditions for the weekend and that had improved only slightly by yesterday.

In fact the conditions were about as unpleasant as it ever gets in this part of the world — and it’s still only early May!

For much of the region temperatures remained in single figures with the low readings exacerbated by the wind chill factor from the blustery south westerlies.

It was particularly unpleasant for anyone involved in outdoor sport, particularly with visitors from the coastal areas in Lithgow for weekend hockey tournaments.

On Saturday the official maximum temperatures across the region included just three degrees at Oberon, four at Katoomba and seven at Orange.

Readings were only marginally better on Sunday.

The bureau did not have weekend readings for Lithgow but an unofficial station registered eight degrees each day.

Lithgow again escaped the snow that fell across the region but on Saturday the first snow of the season created a wintry postcard panorama around Yetholme.

Snow also fell for more than two hours at Orange and settled heavily on Mt Canobolas.

Light snow was also reported at Oberon.

The wind accompanying the change resulted in damage to trees across the region and shredded the Australian flag outside the Lithgow Council offices.

At Bathurst the severe weather played havoc with the annual show with attendances down about 50 per cent on what had been anticipated.

Secretary Brent Kenworthy said the ‘terrible weather’ had certainly had a significant impact on attendances, particularly at the Saturday session.

Some parts of eastern Australia had reported their coldest conditions for this time of year in more than 30 years.

Yesterday began with bleak temperatures again in Lithgow but were showing signs of improvement as the day wore on and with the wind abated.