Temps plunge in coldest morning of year

Many parts of eastern Australian dipped below freezing Monday morning. Picture: BOM
Thousands of Aussies have shivered through one of the coldest mornings recorded in 2024 so far.

Thousands of Aussies have shivered through the coldest mornings recorded so far this year as a chilly polar air mass continues to hover above the east coast.

The weather system which sent temperatures plunging across the east has now moved to the NSW Tablelands and the Mackay and North Queensland areas.

Sky News meteorologist Rob Sharpe said many suburbs of Sydney woke Monday morning to temperatures between 7C and 9C in the city.

Overnight, Canberra reached -3C and Hobart recorded only 4C.

Liawenee in Tasmania was the coldest minimum overnight, at -5C in heart of the isle.

Many parts of eastern Australian dipped below freezing Monday morning. Picture: BOM
Many parts of eastern Australian dipped below freezing Monday morning. Picture: BOM

Clear and windless skies at Guyra on the Northern Tablelands of NSW created a hoar frost Sunday morning, with the chilly conditions forecast to hang around into Monday.

Orange in NSW was barely one degree warmer overnight than Dubbo, which reached 0°C.

Mr Sharpe said many parts of Queensland had woken up to their coldest morning of 2024, with Mackay recording 9C and just 13C being recorded in Townsville, in the state’s north.

He said parts of the NSW Central Coast should experience showers throughout Monday.

The cold front has cleared to the east with a southerly airstream expected across Victoria during Monday and Tuesday as a high south of the Bight moves slowly east, the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts.

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Sydney has just come out of a wet streak. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Max Mason-Hubers

The high is expected to be near Kangaroo Island by Wednesday night before moving to the southwest of Tasmania during Thursday and extending a ridge over western Victoria.

While the cold persists, a warmer than average May continues in Western Australia.

OUTLOOK FOR THE CAPITAL CITIES

Tasmania

Hobart is set for a maximum of 13°C on Monday, a few notches below the May average.

Victoria

A forecast maximum of 14°C in Melbourne a chance of rain later in the day.

South Australia

A warm change after mid-single digit minimums over the weekend, Adelaide can expect a maximum of 19°C and showers in the hills and southern suburbs.

ACT

Patches of frost and fog on Monday morning with a maximum of 16°C.

NSW

Maximum of 19°C in Sydney with winds 25 to 35 km/h and showers on the coast.

Queensland

Clear and fine in Brisbane, maximum of 23°C after nine degrees overnight.

Northern Territory

Moderate fire warning in the Northern fire protection area, Darwin is set for a maximum of 32°C with winds up to 30 km/h tonight.

Western Australia

Breezy in Perth with a maximum of 27°C, and high fire danger warnings in the Swan region.