Weather News

Record cold hits the tropics

Temperatures have plummeted across Queensland during the past three days causing frost to spread well north into the tropics.

Clermont in the Central Highlands plummeted to minus three degrees on Saturday morning, 10 degrees below their July average and the towns coldest night on record. Sub zero temperatures even spread as far north as Mt Isa, their coldest night in seven years. Even mild coastal areas have dropped to single figures over the past few nights with Rockhampton recording a minimum of just three on Saturday morning, colder than any night in central Sydney for more than 20 years.

The cold snap has resulted from a pool of very cold air from the Southern Ocean that moved north over eastern Australia during the week. The airmass has now moved out into the Tasman Sea which will allow temperatures to rise considerably over the next few days. By Tuesday Queenslanders will be bathing in highs as much as eight degrees above average.

- Weatherzone

© Weatherzone 2009

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