Temperatures varied by 50 degrees across Australia on Monday.

A cold pool of air lingering over southeastern Australia behind a front and a sweltering air mass over northern WA produced the large range in temperatures across the continent.

Thredbo Top Station registered a minimum temperature of -9.7 degrees shortly before 6am on Monday. This was its coldest September morning in five years and eight below average for this time of year.

At the other end of our vast country, the mercury hit 40 degrees in WA's Kununurra, which is located at the northern tip of the Kimberley. This was the site's second 40 degree day in a row, which hasn't happened this early in September for five years.

Large temperature contrasts like this are typical in Australia during spring, as pre-wet season clear skies allow heat to build in the north and cold fronts still affect the nation's south.