When will the CQ cold snap end?

A very slow moving, deep low pressure system in the Tasman Sea has caused the cold.

A slow moving Tasman Sea low pressure system has caused temperatures to remain four or more degrees below average for Central Queensland.

THE COLD snap that has had Central Queensland shivering over the past week is coming to an end, with temperatures returning to normal by Monday.

BOM meteorologist Shane Kennedy said conditions had been dominated by a cold air mass over the region, driven by an extremely slow moving low pressure system in the Tasman Sea.

“We had a cold and dry air mass get pushed over the state early in the week and it really has just sat there over the past few days,” he said.

“There was quite a deep low pressure system over the Tasman Sea that hasn’t let the cold air move, and has continually reinforced the southerly air stream across the region.

“It has been quite cold because the air is coming from all the way from the Southern Ocean, and quite dry by the time it has made it to us, travelling over the land.

“Over the last morning or two the winds have gotten quite a lot lighter, so it has been particularly cold, compared to the average.”

The average minimum temperature for Gladstone at this time of year is 12 degrees, but it has dipped as low as seven.

“The coldest conditions largely started on the 14th, Tuesday,” he said.

From Tuesday to today the Gladstone region has been consistently below average.

“It was 7.9 on Tuesday at the airport, on Wednesday it was 8.8, and then 9.3 yesterday and then this morning was 9.1,” Mr Kennedy said.

Rockhampton has experienced similar conditions, shivering through its coldest morning of the year today.

“It was 7 degrees on the Tuesday, then 6.4 on Wednesday, 6.2 on Thursday and finally this morning it was 5.5, the coldest day of the year so far,” Mr Kennedy said.

Bundaberg hasn’t been as cold as Rockhampton, despite being further south.

“On Tuesday it was 8.2, 9.7 on the Wednesday, just 7 degrees on Thursday and 8.9 this morning,” Mr Kennedy said.

Conditions will begin to shift on Sunday, Mr Kennedy said, returning to average temperatures by Monday.

“There is likely to be another couple of mornings with some cooler weather,” he said.

“We should start to seen a bit more onshore flow pushing a bit more moisture up the coast late on Saturday and into Sunday.

Gladstone is heading for a minimum of 12 degrees on Sunday and 11 on Monday, peaking at a lovely 26 degrees on Monday.

Rockhampton is forecast to climb back into double digit minimums by Monday with 10, and reaching a maximum of 27.

Bundaberg will see a top of 25 on Sunday and 26 on Monday.

Mr Kennedy said there was an 80 per-cent chance of showers to develop on Wednesday and Thursday for the entire region.

Forecast

Saturday - Gladstone: 8 - 23, Rockhampton: 6 - 24, Bundaberg: 7 - 24.

Sunday - Gladstone: 12 - 24, Rockhampton: 9 - 25, Bundaberg: 9- 25.

Monday - Gladstone: 11 - 26, Rockhampton: 10 - 27, Bundaberg: 9 -26.

Tuesday - Gladstone: 12 - 23, Rockhampton: 11 - 24, Bundaberg: 11- 23.

Originally published as