Weather News

Melbourne cracking a coldie

Melbourne has pulled a cold one from the Antarctic fridge on Sunday, potentially the coldest day in many years.

By 3pm, the city had still only reached a maximum temperature of 8.5 degrees and the wind has been strong enough to make eight degrees feel more like four.

A strong cold front ploughed through on Saturday and overnight a low formed in the cold air in the wake of the front. This low, over Bass Strait, has been driving heavy bursts of rain over the city and surrounding areas and generating strong and gusty winds.

The result is one of the coldest days in decades.

So far this has been the city's coldest day in 17 years. In July 1995 there was also a day which only reached 8.5 degrees. The last time Melbourne had a colder day was in 1986, when it only reached 8.2.

Whilst Sunday has been a coldie, it's still four degrees warmer than the record of 4.4 degrees, set in July 1901.

Officially, Sunday ends at 9am Monday, in regards to the day's maximum temperature. That gives plenty of time to warm up, as it often does at the end of the coldest, rainiest days. For example, if it warms to 10 degrees by 9am, it makes it the coldest day in just four years.

Sunday's cold wet and windy weather has made for a low-scoring AFL game in nearby Geelong, where it's been only marginally warmer than Melbourne.

Looking ahead, Monday and the rest of the week will be noticeably warmer in Melbourne. A high will form over the region, allowing the city to get close to the July average maximum of 13.5 degrees.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2012

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