Central and eastern parts of the country awoke to a very cold Sunday morning with temperatures dropping as much as ten degrees below average.

A large, slow-moving high pressure system coupled with a cold airmass was responsible for the widespread frigid conditions across the central and eastern states. The high brought clear skies and light winds, allowing the daytime warmth to escape and allowed for widespread morning temperatures between four and eight degrees below average

In Queensland, Phosphate Hill (Northwest) cooled to -0.7 degrees and was their coldest night in 17 years and Charleville's (Maranoa) -3.5 degrees was the coldest night in 15 years. Winton (Central West) cooled to zero which is an impressive ten degrees below average and their coldest June night in 14 years.

Similar conditions across the border in New South Wales with widespread temperatures dropping to three to seven degrees below average. Outside of the Snowy Mountains, some of the coldest temperatures were in the Northern Tablelands where Tenterfield plunged to -6 (eight below average). Further south, Narrandera (Riverina) had their coldest June night in 12 years, cooling to -4. In the Upper Western Cobar fell to 10 degrees below average and Wilcannia,s -3 was the coldest June night in 16 years.

Victoria was greeted with temperatures generally three to six below average on Sunday morning. Warrnambool (South West) cooled to -0.9, the coldest morning in two years and seven below average. Melbourne Airport dropped to 2.1 degrees, 4 below average.

Those across the Bass Strait on the Apple Isle awoke temperatures up to seven degrees colder than normal for this time of the year. Cressy (Central North) had a frosty start to the day, cooling to -4.4 (6.2 below average). Hobart didn't escape the chill with a minimum of 1.1.

In South Australia, it cooled nine degrees below average in places such as Yunta (North East Pastoral), Renmark (Riverland) and Padthaway (Upper South East). Robe Airport (Lower South East) plummeted to -2.7 degrees, the coldest night in 12 years and ten below average.

Parts of the Northern Territory also felt the chill on Sunday morning. Tindal feel to 5.2 degrees which is nine below average and seven years since it's been so cold. Although not considered cold by some, Darwin's low of 15.7 was the coldest June morning since 2014.

The slow-moving nature of the high will bring another widespread cold morning to central and eastern states on Monday morning.