Adelaide shivers through record cold weather
Temperatures dropped to -4.3 degrees in one South Australian town overnight while Adelaide equalled a more than 100-year-old cold weather record.
A frosty lawn, icy windscreen and frozen birdbath on Wednesday morning. Left photo: JocelynTrevor Keller. Top right photo: Katrina Jamieson. Bottom right photo: Janet Roenfeldt. All via Ten News First Adelaide Weather Watchers Facebook
Adelaide’s West Terrace weather station at 7.35am this morning recorded a temperature of 0.6 degrees, equalling the lowest temperature recorded at West Terrace since July 24, 1908.
The coldest temperature recorded in South Australia overnight was the outback town of Yunta, which dropped to -4.3 degrees at 7.20am.
The Nullarbor weather station near the Western Australian border also dropped to -3.2 degrees – an annual minimum temperature record.
In the metropolitan region, Noarlunga dropped to 2.2 degrees, a minimum temperature record for July.
Edinburgh reached -0.9 degrees, Strathalbyn -0.3 degrees, Parafield -1.1 degrees and Mount Barker -0.5 degrees.
Weather in the River Murray town of Caloote this morning. Photo: Leigh Webster via Ten News First Adelaide Weather Watchers Facebook
In the South East, Coonawarra (-3.4 degrees) and Robe Airfield (-1.4 degrees) posted July minimum temperature records, while Mount Gambier dropped to -0.1 degrees at 7.31am.
Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Chris Kent said some regional areas were experiencing minimum temperatures eight to 10 degrees below their July average.
He said temperatures in metropolitan Adelaide were around four to six degrees below average.
Photo: JocelynTrevor Keller via Ten News First Adelaide Weather Watchers Facebook
“There’s a high-pressure system – a strong high-pressure system – well south of Australia at the moment,” he said.
“This is driving a lot of cold air from well south of the continent up over the southern states.
“That’s also combining with clear skies and also very light winds leading to perfect conditions for getting really cold temperatures in the overnight period.”
A frozen birdbath in Murray Bridge. Photo: Sarah Goldsmith via Ten News First Adelaide Weather Watchers Facebook
Kent said the weather system was also affecting Victoria and Tasmania.
He said more cool temperatures could be expected tonight, especially in the state’s South East.
“In terms of Adelaide itself, it’s probably going to be a little bit warmer tonight, but still going to be probably below average,” he said.
“I’d be surprised if we got down as low (tomorrow) as we did today.”
The overnight weather comes after Adelaide on Tuesday shivered through its coldest morning since August 2021.
Adelaide’s forecast today is mostly sunny with a top of 15 degrees. Minimum temperatures are forecasted to rise to 10 degrees by Sunday.
