Update: Thursday, April 23, 2014, 2:25 p.m.: A spokesperson from The Weather Channel confirmed on Thursday the company does supply data to the iPhone's Weather app. According to their statement, the malfunction was caused by a coding error and action has been taken to prevent it occurring again.
Even as a giant storm lashed Sydney on Wednesday morning, a forecast of snow was a little too unusual.
Some early-rising Sydneysiders woke to find their iPhone Weather app predicting "Mixed Snow and Sleet" -- surprising weather for mild autumn temperatures in a city where it never snows.
The weather app is showing snow in Sydney for what *has* to be the first time ever. Check your phone! #SydneyStorm pic.twitter.com/QZLOa74ExT— Rémy Numa (@remynuma) April 21, 2015
Sydney has been facing significant rain, winds and flooding for the past few days, but no snow or sleet has been spied, as yet.
Weatherzone meteorologist Alex Zadnik told Fairfax Media something must have gone wrong with the algorithm. "There's no chance of snow and sleet with temperatures above five degrees," he said. "I don't recall there ever being reported snow in the Sydney CBD in my lifetime."
There has only been significant snowfall reported once in Sydney in the last 180 years. A story from the Sydney Morning Herald on Saturday, July 14, 1934, states it has been nearly 100 years since snow has fallen in Sydney. It references a report by the Royal Astronomer of New South Wales who reported one inch of snow fell during the night on June 27, 1836. It was recorded in various other meteorological journals at the time.
The iOS Weather app, which comes native to the iPhone, pulls its data from The Weather Channel, a spokesperson for Apple confirmed. The Weather Channel has been contacted for comment about how the error occurred.
Locals, who authorities have advised to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel during the ongoing storm, took their bemusement to social media.
Sydney's weather today: snow and sleet! Bizarre at any time of year, let alone April pic.twitter.com/le2oD2UcLs— Tom Elliott (@TomElliott3AW) April 21, 2015
Snow and sleet Sydney???? You sure pic.twitter.com/uv0quxpOtu— Paige (@fcknarryy) April 21, 2015
'Mixed Snow and Sleet' in Sydney today according to @weatherchannel app #SydneyStorm pic.twitter.com/6bkGLgEy1p
— Eliza Tickle (@elizatickle) April 21, 2015Mixed snow and sleet in Sydney. You lie weather app. You lie. #SydneyWeather #SydneyRain pic.twitter.com/lN0xvh83Gv
— Eleni Paneras (@EleniPaneras) April 21, 2015First time I've seen a "Mixed snow and sleet" forecast in Sydney. #anotherweathertweet pic.twitter.com/vNHpgrV1gM
— Scott Brown (@kodamapixel) April 21, 2015The issue has been fixed, and the Weather app now predicts thunderstorms and showers.
Stay dry and safe out there, Sydney, and probably best to check with the Bureau of Meteorology before digging out your snow boots.