We'll leave you this morning with this photo (above) sent in by Western Advocate reader Susan Taber. She took this snap in Oberon - we're cold just looking at it. 

You can see more photos of the snow in our gallery here. 

At this stage only the Bells Line of Road remains closed, but the NSW Transport Management Centre is warning of heavy traffic on the Great Western Highway.

If you are travelling today please slow down and take care.

For the latest traffic information, visit www.livetraffic.com or call 132 701.

You will also be pleased to know the weekend is predicted to be mostly sunny. We should be back to a much more civil 21 degrees on Saturday, followed by a beautiful 25 degrees on Sunday. 

9.45AM

The Lithgow Mercury is running a list of schools that are non-operational today due to snow and power outages. The only school in the Bathurst region is Meadow Flat Public School.

Click here to read the list. 

9.30AM

The Great Western Highway has reopened in both directions between Lithgow and Katoomba. Traffic in the area is heavy and motorists are advised to expect significant delays and allow plenty of additional travel time.

However, the Bells Line of Road remains closed between Lithgow and Bell and the Darling Causeway is still closed.

Also, the Blue Mountains railway line remains partially closed between Katoomba and Lithgow in both directions. Passengers are advised to continue to delay travel between these stations as there is no alternative transport available. 

Services continue to run between Katoomba and the city and buses will supplement some services between Katoomba and Penrith, but people should allow plenty of additional travel time.

As well, bus routes 524, 533 and 726 are currently not operating between Katoomba and Lithgow. 

9AM

We'll keep BathurstAM open for a while longer this morning to bring you more updates on the road conditions.

All roads around Oberon that were closed due to snow are now open including the O'Connell Road and Duckmaloi Road. 

8:50AM

Meadow Flat Public School is believed to be non-operational today due to a power failure.

8:40AM

It's natural when you have a baby that you want to dress them in the cute outfits you spent the nine months of pregnancy gushing over, but some parents take dress up to the extreme.

These parents are dressing up their little boy Noah in a different costume every day until Halloween. I don't think Noah will look back too fondly on these outfits come his 21st birthday.

I bet he wishes he had the same power to hide as Wally does.

You can see more of this project here.

8:30AM

COUNCILLORS will vote tonight on a proposal to establish a new stakeholders forum to co-ordinate local tourism.

Councillor Jess Jennings will raise the item as a notice of motion at tonight’s meeting of Bathurst Regional Council.

It will be Cr Jennings’ third notice of motion in just four monthly meetings, but he cannot be criticised this time for bringing state and federal issues into the local chamber.

Previous notices of motion calling for council to declare Bathurst a coal seam gas-free area and to restate its support for the Racial Discrimination Act put Cr Jennings at odds with some of his colleagues who believed it was inappropriate, or ineffective, for council to debate such issues.

But tonight Cr Jennings will seek to take the first step towards a new era of co-operation between council and local tourism operators to better promote the region.

8:20AM

THERE’S a bear in there ... and a chair as well. That’s right – Play School is coming to Bathurst!

The iconic children’s television program is bringing its new show Prince of Bears to town this month as part of its 2014 national tour.

Kids of all ages will be sure to enjoy this super fun interactive show featuring Big Ted and his friends.

Prince Big Ted is going on a royal adventure to find his castle. With company from Humpty, Little Ted, Jemima, and the rest of the gang he will find himself having plenty of fun in small farms and in large towns.

But will Big Ted find what he’s looking for?

The show will be led by regular Play School presenters Alex Papps and Michelle Lim Davidson

8:15AM

SNOW UPDATE:

O'Connell Road has been reopened after snowfall last night, allowing motorists to travel between Oberon and Bathurst.

Duckmaloi road, however, remains closed.

Please continue to drive safely around these areas today.

8:10AM

A truck accident has occurred on the Great Western Highway near Bathurst.

The accident was reported just before 8AM.

Drivers can expect delays at Eugenie Street and are asked to exercise caution while the road is being cleared.

8:05AM

SNOW UPDATE:

The Great Western Highway has been reopened at Lithgow, however it still remains closed between Mount Victoria and Katoomba.

8AM

Oberon and the Bathurst surrounds were blanketed with snow last night.

Residents were quick to post photos of the wild Spring weather.

Take a look at some of there snaps in our October Snow gallery.

7:45AM

THE growing number of female jockeys competing across the Central West are set to benefit from the almost-completed women's jockey room at Tyers Park.

The new facility is expected to be ready for use by the time the Bathurst Thoroughbred Racing Club hold their next meeting on October 31.

Up until now, the women have been forced to use a relatively substandard room between and before races while in more recent times, a separate temporary block was erected for them.

As their presence in country racing grows it was imperative to ensure that they were catered for with more up-to-date facilities.

"This has come out of a Racing NSW initiative and through a separate fund as well, we've also been able to get our electricity and sewerage infrastructure upgraded," BTC general manager Michelle Tarpenning said.

"Hopefully the girls will be able to use the new room for the October 31 meeting and then at an official opening next year.

"It is a whole new facility, there are change rooms, heating, cooling, everything they are going to need.

"It wasn't so much a case that they didn't have their own room in the past but it was so antiquated, and that's putting it mildly. They really needed something to bring things up to date."

7:35AM

Last night saw some pretty severe weather hit NSW, and the Central West was no exception.

Some areas experienced snowfall, including Oberon, O'Connell, Yetholme and Lithgow.

A number of roads have been closed due to the conditions.

These are the Great Western Highway in both directions between Katoomba and Lithgow, the Bells Line of Road in both directions between Lithgow and Bell, and O'Connel Road and Duckmaloi Road at Oberon.

The Darling Causeway is also closed and westbound traffic at Mount Tomah will be stopped. 

Drivers are asked to take caution when travelling this morning as many roads are slippery. 

Slow down and drive to the conditions.

Stay tuned to BathurstAM for further updates about these roads as they come. 

7:30AM

In news around the region:

PALLIATIVE care models in other areas will be examined before Orange City Council decides on its course of action. 

IN two short years, students from St John's College have gone from not knowing a word of French to performing an award-winning short film entirely in French.

THE Wandering Warriors stopped in Cowra on Monday, October 13, on their way from Brisbane to Canberra.

Ex SAS Regiment member, Bruce Holt and other members of the Vietnam Veterans Association of Cowra met with the Warriors to give them a cheque for $2000.

And in national news...

An epic storm raged across Sydney on Tuesday night, trapping dozens on a train, closing major roads and bringing snow to the Blue Mountains.

A lightning bolt struck the Sydney Tower about 10pm, creating a shower of sparks and plunging the structure into darkness. 

Ultimo resident Tom Lane said it was "like someone was welding".

7:05AM

Making local news this morning:

IN a bad year for manufacturing jobs in the Central West, there has been some good news.

The $65 million upgrade opened yesterday at the Nestle Purina PetCare factory in Blayney has added 117 permanent positions to the more than 200 people already on site.

JUDGING is well underway at the Bathurst Showground for the hundreds of wines submitted in this year’s National Cool Climate Wine Show.

There were 824 wines entered from all around Australia, including the western ranges, Yarra Valley, the deep south west, and Tasmania.

A VACANT grassed area behind the Bathurst Aquatic Centre is set to be transformed into the city’s newest public car park.

NISSAN Australia chief executive officer Richard Emery has vowed to continue fighting for a solution to the scheduling conflict between next year’s V8 Supercars test day and Bathurst 12 Hour even though he’s not confident of a result falling in his favour.

7AM

Hello Bathurst!

It's Rachel with you this morning giving you continuous updates about everything you need to know in Bathurst, the Central West, and around the country.

Make sure you rug up today; we'll only see a top temperature of 15 degrees. You can expect rain today, with the Bureau of Meteorology saying there is a 70% chance things will get wet.

Parts of the Central West saw snow last night, so take care on the roads.

If you have anything interesting you would like including in our coverage this morning you can send it to rachel.ferrett@fairfaxmedia.com.au