Access to the Barrington Tops is currently closed from Gloucester due a dangerously unstable section of road in Barrington Tops State Forest, damaged during the March 2021 rain event.

Upper Hunter Shire Council acting director infrastructure services Phillip Hood said while access to the Barrington Tops from Scone is currently available, the unsealed road section is steep, narrow and winding, and ice and snow can make driving extremely dangerous, even for 4WDs.

Read more: Rain, hail and snow predicted with intense NSW cold front

"The road is not designed for large amounts of traffic, even at the best of times" Mr Hood said.

"People who wish to see the snow are advised that the Northern Tablelands is a better choice, with the snow forecast being widespread from Nowendoc/Nundle to Walcha/Armidale.

"With strong winds, there is also potential for trees and branches to fall, posing a direct risk to visitors, and possibly blocking access into and out of the area."

The Oxley Highway to Walcha is also flood damaged and continues to undergo major repairs due to landslips.

Mr Hood said NSW Police may close roads at any time to ensure visitor safety.

Blizzards with possible heavy snow may occur on the Northern Tablelands into Thursday as a polar blast runs right up the spine of NSW.

A rare occluded cold front will see anywhere along the front's line see heavy and persistent rain and or snow as it slowly moves east.

A sheep graziers' alert was issued by the Bureau of Meteorology for many part of the state from Mid North Coast, Hunter, Northern Tablelands, Illawarra, South Coast, Central Tablelands, Southern Tablelands, North West Slopes and Plains, Central West Slopes and Plains, South West Slopes, Riverina, Upper Western, Lower Western, Snowy Mountains to the ACT.

Local Land Services also issued a warning to livestock producers to prepare for the cold blast and make sure they had adequate feed for stock.

In what could be an extraordinary snow event, some parts of the Northern Tablelands will see heavier snowfalls than some areas of the Snowy Mountains, according to Weatherzone forecaster Graeme Brittain.

Mr Brittain said the snow in the Tablelands above 1000m could be the heaviest seen in a long time, bringing dangerous driving conditions, with trees possibly losing branches under the weight of snowfalls and falling on to roadways.

There would also be dangerous driving conditions and blizzards were possible in the Northern Tablelands above 1000m and the Barrington Tops.

Snow was predicted at this stage down to 900m, but could definitely fall lower than that, he said.

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