29/05/2012: Nights in Canberra have been so cold this month that the national capital is having its coldest May in 51 years and second coldest May on record, according to weatherzone.com.au.

Overnight minimum temperatures have averaged -0.2 of a degree, compared to the long-term norm of 3.1 degrees.

The last time May averaged a minimum this low was in 1961, when it was -0.2 of a degree.

"Most residents would not have experienced a May this cold in Canberra, given that it's been 51 years since the average May minimum temperature has been sub-zero," Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said.

Getting out of bed has been a chore for many, especially given that last month nights were about six degrees warmer.

"It's felt more like we've skipped May and June and gone straight from mid-autumn to mid-winter. This freezing weather is more typical of July, when the average minimum is -0.1," Dutschke said.

It will come as no surprise that more than half of the nights this month, 15 of them so far, have chilled below freezing. In a typical May there are eight nights which dip to zero-or-below.

"With another one-or-two freezing nights to come this month, this will almost certainly turn out to be the coldest May in 55 years," Dutschke said.

In 1957, the average May minimum was -2.6, which is the lowest on record.

"The weather pattern has been dominated by high pressure systems. Skies have been clearer than normal and the air drier than normal, which have combined to make most nights dip below freezing."

There has been an extra hour of sunshine per day and humidity has been six percent below average.

The clearer, drier air has also led to a drier-than-average month. Only 21mm of rain has fallen, less than half the long-term average of 44mm.

"Looking ahead to winter, more freezing nights are likely, but overall, nights should turn out to be near average. Daytime temperatures and rainfall should also turn out close to normal, given that we are in a near-neutral climate phase," Dutschke said.

Media Inquiries:

Brett Dutschke
media@weatherzone.com.au
02 9965 9269

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