31/08/2010: Canberra has just had its coldest winter in 10 years and has finished the season off with a blanket of thick fog, according to weatherzone.com.au.

On the last morning of winter thick fog reduced visibility to just 150 metres, leading to travel delays.

"The foggy morning has been aided by moisture coming in off the ocean in northeast winds, which have been blowing for a day or two. And it's been a pretty cold, calm morning, allowing moisture to form into a layer of fog," Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said.

"It's now burning off as warming northerly winds pick up. By 9am visibility had risen to 800 metres," Dutschke said.

"Fog has been a rarity this winter for the nation's capital, only twice before has it been this thick. Many mornings have just been too warm."

Overnight minimum temperatures have averaged two degrees, more than a degree above the long-term winter norm of 0.6.

In conrast, regarding daytime temperatures, winter 2010 was the coldest in 10 years. Maximums averaged a little over 12.6 degrees.

"Excessive cloud right through winter didn't allow many nights to get cold or many days to warm up."

Winter has also been unusual regarding rainfall, wetter than average for the first time in five years. This is not bad considering the slow start. June was the driest in six years with only 19mm falling.

About 130mm of rain has fallen over winter, only slightly above the long-term average of 128mm, but the wettest since 2005. This is largely due to July and August, which were the wettest in five years and six years respectively.

"The outlook for spring is for further good rainfall with the aid of relatively frequent northwest cloud bands. Also, the current La Nina should peak from October, which will help the end of spring become the wettest part of the season," Dutschke said.

"The likelihood of above average rainfall will favour a season of warmer than normal nights and cooler than normal days. We are likely to have fewer frosts this spring."

Media Inquiries:

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

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