Warm start to winter across south-east Australia explained
South-eastern Australia’s bizarrely mild start to winter is officially coming to an end, with a blast of chilly air finally bringing proper June weather.
The change follows a fortnight of exceptionally mild weather that saw Sydney and Melbourne record temperatures more typical of late autumn.
South-eastern Australia’s bizarrely mild start to winter is officially coming to an end. Weatherzone
A cold front crossing the south-east will drop temperatures over the coming days, ending weeks of unseasonal warmth.
Warmest June night smashed in Victoria
Melbourne has smashed a long-standing winter weather record, registering a minimum temperature of 16.2 degrees on Thursday – topping the previous highest June minimum of 16.1 degrees set in 2001.
The warmth is being driven by a high-pressure ridge sitting further south than normal for this time of year.
The system has largely blocked outbreaks of cold polar air from reaching southern Australia while allowing warmer tropical air to stream south from the Indian Ocean. A series of north-west cloud bands have also crossed the country during the month.
Mean sea level pressure in Australia on June 17, showing the high-pressure system that has dominated south-east Australia’s weather all week finally starting to push out into the Tasman Sea. Weatherzone
The pattern has brought some welcome rain to parts of Australia, although it has frustrated snow lovers by keeping temperatures too mild for widespread natural falls.
Autumn warmth swept the capitals – bar one
So far this month, all five south-eastern capital cities – Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart and Canberra – have been tracking more than 2 degrees above their average maximum and minimum temperatures.
Sydney’s average maximum temperature so far this month has reached 20.6 degrees, including an ongoing run of 11 days above 20 degrees. That’s much closer to the city’s average May maximum of 19.6 degrees than its June average of 17.
Friday’s weather chart shows the cold front finally pushing across the south-east. Weatherzone
Melbourne’s average daytime temperature has reached 17.1 degrees, compared with its long-term June average of 14.1. Hobart has also experienced daytime temperatures closer to late April or early May.
Canberra has averaged 15.2 degrees by day and went nine consecutive days without an overnight temperature below zero – unusual for a city where the average June minimum is 0.9 degrees.
The weather system is tipped to bring fresh snow to alpine regions, but is unlikely to deliver a major boost for ski resorts. Chris Hocking
Adelaide has also spent much of June at daytime temperatures closer to its May average than its typical June conditions.
Meanwhile in Perth, regular cold fronts crossing Western Australia have left it as the only Australian capital city tracking slightly below its long-term June averages for both maximum and minimum temperatures.
Brisbane and Darwin have also been warmer than usual, although the difference has not been as pronounced as across south-eastern Australia.
More snow is on the way. But there’s a catch
With the warm spell finally wrapping up, the way is being cleared for more wintry conditions.
Cooler temperatures have already reached Adelaide, and forecasted to remain about 14 degrees over the next week. The cold front will continue moving across the south-east into the weekend.
The weather system is tipped to bring fresh snow to alpine regions, but is unlikely to deliver a major boost for ski resorts. Forecasters warn that much of the moisture will fall as rain before the coldest air arrives.
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