Queensland weather: May records set to tumble as state shivers through 'unusual' icy blast
An icy blast will shock most parts of Queensland tomorrow as temperatures plummet as much as 12 degrees below average.
Records could be set to tumble along with the mercury in what forecasters say is an "unprecedented" May weather event.
In Brisbane this morning, people donned beanies and puffer jackets, as the maximum temperature hovered below 20 degrees – a sign of what's to come this weekend.
Cool dry air, rainfall and thick cloud blanketing the interior and central coast means temperatures may plummet from Saturday, the Bureau of Meteorology says.
"It could see cooler daytime maximum temperatures up to 10 to 12 degrees below average across large parts of the state," meteorologist Shane Kennedy said on Thursday.
Check what the temperature will be in your area
"Temperature records may be broken."
Puffer jackets were a common sight in Brisbane Friday morning as people made their way to work. Nine
Mr Kennedy described the weather event as "unusual" and "like a giant air-conditioner over the state".
"This has been caused by colder and dryer air being pushed in from the south with thick cloud and rainfall over the top," he said.
"It is quite an unusual set-up for this time of year."
The north of the state is also set for a colder than usual weekend. Nine
In Rockhampton tomorrow it will warm up to just 13 degrees.
In Charters Towers it will reach 14.
Townsville will only reach 17 degrees, and receive a month's rainfall in a day.
Cairns will stay 20 degrees for a whole 24 hours.
While Toowoomba and Stanthorpe will only be 13.
The cool weather is expected to persist into next week, with frost possible in the southern tropics on Sunday or Monday.
The cold wet weather could also affect cattle in the north and west of the state.
Rainfall of up to 30mm is expected in the north of state before the cloud band moves offshore on Sunday.
But the bureau said the arctic blast was just a taste of what is to come.
South-east Queensland is in for a colder than average winter.
Southern states have also felt the chill with a dumping of snow falling at Thredbo overnight.
- Reported with AAP
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