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Melbourne chills through coldest spell two years

Melbourne has struggled to 11 degrees for the second day running, making it the coldest back-to-back days in five years, according to weatherzone.com.au.

By 3pm today the city had still only reached a maximum of 11.6 degrees, after yesterday's 10.8-degree maximum. The last time there were two consecutive days this cold was in August 2010, when it had two back-to-back 11.4-degree days.

"It has been brought about by cloud and rain then very cold winds. Yesterday we had cloud and rain ahead of a front, today we have very cold winds in the wake of the vigorous front," Weatherzone meteorologist Brett Dutschke said.

Much of the last two days have been spent in temperatures of about nine degrees, five below average for this time of year.

Winds across the city have been gusting 75-80km/h, strong enough to make nine degrees feel more like five degrees.

It will come as no surprise that the ski resorts are picking up one of their biggest dumps of snow so far this season, 15-to-30 centimetres worth.


Snow has also been reported at Mt Macedon and on the Dandenongs, about 700 metres above sea level.

"Snow is a chance to fall as low as 300 metres above sea level later today, most likely tonight," Dutschke said.

"Looking ahead, there is a chance Melbourne will warm a bit later today, but if stays colder than 12 degrees between now and 9am tomorrow, this will go down as the coldest pair of days in two years."

"On Friday, wind and showers will ease, taking the chill out of the air. The weekend is looking generally dry, just the odd light shower about. We should even reach 15 degrees."

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2012

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