Despite its name, the region is in north-central New South Wales, corresponding generally to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology's forecast area of North West Slopes and Plains.
The North West Slopes also includes the towns of Gunnedah, Warialda, Manilla, Boggabri, Mungindi, Narrabri, Moree, Quirindi and Wee Waa; and many villages.
The Main North railway line trains no longer continue to the Queensland border, but Werris Creek, Tamworth and Kootingal are still served by the NSW TrainLink Xplorer service between Sydney and Armidale.
Winters are considerably sunnier than those further south; cold by nightfall, though mild and sometimes even warm by day; constituting a great diurnal range and frequent, oftentimes heavy frost.
In nearly all cases, a snowfall event this far north requires a cut-off low system: in which the coldest air bypasses the usual southern alpine regions, instead advancing in a north-northeasterly direction up the centre of New South Wales.