Canberra is having its coldest morning so far this year after the mercury dropped to minus 7.4 degrees.

The combination of clear skies, light winds and lingering cool air in the wake of a front allowed the temperature to plummet in Australia's capital city last night.

The numbingly low minus 7.4 degrees occurred at 7am, shortly after the sun had risen over eastern Australia. The morning period immediately after sunrise is typically the coldest part of the day, as the angle of the sun is still too low to start warming the surface.

South Canberra on Monday morning. Image: Verity Warn via Facebook

Canberra has experienced a high number of cold mornings this month, even by the standards of Australia's frostiest capital city. It's running average minimum temperature for thismonth is sitting at about minus two degrees, which is two below the long term average for July. Of the 23 days mornings far this month, 16 have dropped below zero degrees.

Minimum temperatures are forecast to climb back up to around zero degrees from tomorrow and even higher on Wednesday as wind and cloud increase, thanks to the passage of a cold front.

Canberra's lowest temperature on record was minus 10 degrees during July 1971.