Had enough of those chilly mornings? Well, buckle up because winter is just getting started! As we approach the winter solstice on Thursday June 22nd, and with the El Nino likely to develop, Australia’s southern half and interior are feeling the icy grip of winter.
Today saw yet another bone-chilling morning spread across the nation. The eastern interior and southwest parts of the country experienced particularly frosty conditions, thanks to relatively light winds and clear skies. Winter is going all-in this year, leaving no stone unturned. Numerous locations across WA, QLD, NSW, and the NT have witnessed their minimum temperatures for the month of June plummet, marking the coldest readings in years for this time of year.
Pingelly (WA), Munglinup (WA), Cessnock Airport (NSW), and Paterson (NSW) were among the places shivering through their coldest morning this early in the year since 2006 (17 years), while Armidale (NSW) and Busselton (WA) experienced its chilliest morning at this stage of the year in 14 years and 13 years, respectively. In St. George, Mitchell, and Miles, QLD, it had been 8 long years since they had encountered such a frosty morning this early in the year. The trend extends to other locations across NSW, QLD, the NT, and WA, where such a cold morning hasn’t been experienced this early in the year for 4 to 6 years.
Chilly mornings aren’t the only thing on our radar – your electricity bill might just give you a frosty surprise this year. Winter is settling in, and with the persistent influence of El Nino, our weather patterns are taking a particular twist. Under El Nino’s influence, we can expect drier and clearer skies, the ideal conditions for nighttime cooling. So, brace yourself for a parade of cold, foggy and frosty mornings in the months ahead, and be prepared to tackle the looming threat of soaring electricity bills. Stay warm.