Weather News

Frost bites

Gloves and scarves are getting well used across southeastern Australia as residents wake up to its coldest morning of the year with frost biting hard across the region.

Temperatures have dipped five-to-10 degrees below average.

Frost has been severe in parts of Victoria and New South Wales, threatening to cause damage to crops.

Some places have experienced their coldest morning in several years.

Rutherglen froze at minus 5.2 degrees and Redesdale minus 3.7, their coldest morning in six years.

Wangaratta and West Wyalong recorded their lowest temperature in five years, dipping to minus 4.6 and minus 3.3 respectively.

One of the coldest spots in the region and country was Cooma airport, where it recorded a frigid minus 8.2 degrees, seven below average.

The chill wasn't only in the rural areas, the bigger cities also noticed the difference from recent mornings.

Canberra had its coldest morning of the year so far, getting as low as minus 6.3 degrees, seven below average. This is also its coldest June morning in three years.

Hobart also had its coldest morning of the year, chilling to 1.6 degrees, four below average.

Melbourne recorded a minimum temperature of 4.7 (two below average), Sydney 7.3 (two below average) and Brisbane 8.5, (three below average), but were colder earlier this month.

Clear skies and very dry, light winds are largely responsible for the frosty morning. This was aided by a cool airmass, left behind by a front, which passed through a few days ago.

Looking ahead, tomorrow morning will be warmer for nearly all of Tasmania, Victoria and southern NSW due to stronger winds and cloud. Northern NSW and Queensland will have to wait until the following morning for a warmer start to the day.

The stronger winds and cloud will arrive with a cold front, which will deliver widespread rain to South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania and inland NSW in the coming days. The front will also bring decent snowfalls to the Alps.

Clear, frosty mornings will be put on hold until at least the weekend, when wind drops off and skies start to clear.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2012

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