Many Australians woke up on Wednesday to record-breaking cold temperatures as Sydney and Canberra experienced their coldest June mornings in more than a decade.
Canberra’s minimum temperature of -7.2C was its lowest since 2018 and the lowest for June since 1986, according to Ben Domensino, a meteorologist at Weatherzone.
Sydney CBD’s minimum temperature of 5.2C was the city’s coldest June morning since 2010, Domensino said. The apparent (felt) temperature was below freezing, getting down to -1.4C in Sydney and -10C in Canberra, according the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM).
Newcastle hit 4.3C shortly after 7am, its coldest morning in 23 years, Domensino said.
Melbourne dropped to 4.2°C, which was its lowest temperature since September last year.
Outside the capital cities, several places registered their lowest temperature in five years.
“Bathurst (-7.5C), Mudgee (-6.9C), Orange (-6.6C), Dubbo (-4.7C), Campbelltown (-1.6C), Casino (-0.2C) and Gayndah (0.3C) all had their coldest morning in five years,” Domensino said.
“Perisher Valley’s -10.1ºC was Australia’s lowest June temperature since 2019. Tocal’s -0.3C was its lowest June temperature in records dating back to 1970.”
Domensino said temperatures had plunged 10C below average for this time of year.
“We have a high-pressure system moving over south-eastern Australia, which will be causing clear skies, light winds and there’s a lingering cold air mass as well.
“So those three things combined will lead to very cold overnight and early morning temperatures.
“Widespread frost is expected to develop from Tasmania right up to central Queensland, including large areas of New South Wales, Victoria and the ACT.”
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a frost warning for all districts in Victoria for Wednesday morning, with severe frost possible in the north-east.
⚠️A frost warning has been issued for all districts for Wednesday morning, with severe frost possible in the North East: https://t.co/HLs2UYFQyQ🥶 pic.twitter.com/5yB2q75OOG
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) June 20, 2023
Miriam Bradbury, a senior meteorologist at the BoM, said Wednesday morning appeared to be the coolest of what had been very chilly conditions the entire week due to a very cold front moving across the south-east.
The BoM forecast widespread areas below zero across inland Victoria, inland NSW in some parts of south-east Queensland on Wednesday.
In Victoria the BoM predicted alpine areas would plunge below -5C, with -8C at Mount Hotham.
Cold conditions will continue through the rest of today into tomorrow morning, with forecast minima of -8°C at Mt Hotham, -7°C at Falls Creek & -6°C at Mt Buller. Small hail has been observed across the E suburbs of #Melbourne this afternoon. https://t.co/F71arc6xjX pic.twitter.com/vtoqeOaP5A
— Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) June 19, 2023
“By Thursday, Friday, going into the weekend, it’s coming much closer than average, even pushing a degree or two above average in some parts,” Bradbury said.
