A day after snow fell in the suburbs of Canberra and Melbourne much of western NSW endured its coldest day in several years and coldest August day in decades. Today Orange had its coldest August day in at least 12 years with a maximum of just two degrees, nine below the August average. Orange has also had about five centimetres worth of snow since yesterday. Further west Parkes had its coldest day in five years and coldest August day in 46 years with a high of just 7 degrees, nine below average. Much of western NSW was five to 10 degrees below average today due to lingering low cloud in the wake of a strong cold front which went through yesterday. Other centres which failed to reach 10 degrees in were Dubbo, Cowra, Wagga Wagga and Woolbrook. The outlook for the rest of the week is for cold winds to gradually warm up, but Orange is not likely to exceed 10 degrees until next week.