Much of southeastern Australia has been experiencing night-time temperatures 6-12 degrees below average. The most extreme last night was in southern Queensland.

It was the coldest night this early in the season in 25 years for Oakey (0.2-degree minimum, 11 below average) and Warwick (1.0 degrees, 10 below average), 22 years for Gatton (6.1 degrees, 8 below average) and 15 years for Miles (2.7 degrees).

It was also pretty nippy just south of the border where Ballina recorded a 20-year low for this early in the year, 8.2 degrees.

Clear skies contributing to the chilly nights are at least allowing days to warm up and become comfortable fairly quickly, warming above average in most places.

In contrast to the clear skies and chily nights in the south of the state, late-season cloud and rain in the north have led to unseasonably cold days. It has been the coldest this early in the year in 42 years for Townsville (22.4-degree maximum on Friday), 22 years for Ayr (22.4 degrees on Friday) and 13 years for Mackay (23.1 degrees on Friday).

Temperatures at about sunrise on Saturday 24 April overlaying satellte image and GFS synoptic pressure pattern.

The feel of the chill had been working its way north from southeastern Australia since early this week. On Wednesday areas of South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales had not been frostier this early in the season in decades. It got as cold as -7.4 degrees, in Tasmania's Liawanee. Also in Tassie, Butlers Gorge recorded a 58-year low for this early in the year, chilling to -4.7 degrees.

Friday was a standout cold morning for Sydney (9.2 degrees) and Brisbane (11.6 degrees), the coldest it has been this early since 1983 and 2006 respectively.

The culprit for the brisk nights and mornings has been dry winds in the wake of a cold front combining with clear skies.

Looking ahead, we can expect most of southeastern Australia to gradually warm as winds turn from dry southwesterly to more humid easterly and causing some cloud to develop. However, we have a bit more chill to get through first. Canberra is facing a chilly Saturday night and frosty Sunday morning, potentially as cold as about -2 degrees by sunrise. This morning's -2.7 degrees in Canberra is 10 degrees below average and a 15-year low for this early in the year.