Feeling warm last night? The clouds had you covered

Cloud cover brings mild temperatures, but a top of 21 degrees will feel more like 17 degrees with the winds today, forecaster says.

Cloud cover have kept the temperatures mild in the region over the past days. Picture: Frances Klein

IF YOU were happy to have your feet sticking out of the blanket last night, that’s because the cloud had you covered.

The night’s particularly pleasant feel, where the minimum of 12 to 13 degrees was six degrees warmer than Gympie’s average minimum July temperature, was due to extensive cloud cover Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Chris Joseph explained.

Gympie's average July minimum temperatures. Picture: Frances Klein

“Gympie’s minimum temperature was almost six degrees above the average for July,” Mr Joseph told The Gympie Times this morning, noting cloud cover as the reason.

But the clouds, coupled with south westerly winds today, will mean the maximum temperature would struggle to reach the usual maximum July temperatures.

A top of 21 degrees will feel more like 17 degrees with the winds today, he said.

Today's forecast for Gympie, July 13, 2016. Picture: Frances Klein

Meanwhile, a very active trough system was developing ‘as we spoke’, the forecaster said, which will see another down pour in the region on the weekend.

“Heavy rain fall is expected for Wide Bay on Friday and Saturday, especially in the north, but Gympie will see some of it,” he said.

Gympie's seven day forecast from July 13, 2016. Picture: Frances Klein

Another thing to watch out for are the showy sunsets as the sun reflects off the high clouds covering the sky.

“When the sun is at low elevations, it reflects off the high clouds, refracting the light so it appears to be reddish,” Mr Joseph said.

'High clouds' have meant beautiful sunsets over Gympie in the last few days. Picture: Frances Klein