Mother Nature will turn on perfect winter days this weekend

It's clear skies and crisp morning making this weekend the perfect winter weather.

It's clear skies and crisp morning making this weekend the perfect winter weather.

FRIDAY 7am

THE weekend is set to turn on some cracking winter days with cool starts, clear skies and just the right amount of sun in the day to shake off the morning chills.   

Gympie residents can expect chilly mornings Saturday and Sunday, much like this morning's crisp start to the day of 5 degrees, meteorologist Rick Threlfall, of the Bureau of Meteorology told The Gympie Times.

"The dry air, clear skies and the winds dropping away at night allows temperatures to fall pretty quickly," Mr Threlfall said. 

As the sun gains more strength; rising higher in the sky each day, the day time temperatures will top 24 and 25 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, a few degrees above the average for July.

If you're looking to get out and about to enjoy the weather and the beautiful Gympie region check out our 14 Gympie Region Trail Guide here. 

By Monday the mornings temperatures should increase to around 7 degrees for with a top of 26 degrees for Monday and Tuesday, but days are predicted to cool down for the rest of next week. 

Gympie's forecast, courtesy of Weatherzone. . Picture: Frances Klein

THURSDAY 7am

IT'S been another cold start in Gympie this morning with temperatures dropping to a biting 2.4 degrees in the early hours of this morning and remaining around the 2-3 degree mark as the sun rose.

Bureau of meteorology forecaster Sam Campbell said the region's temperature drop form the day before is likely to stay for a few days, with minimum temperatures hovering around 5 degrees, but easing by the start of next week. 

"Clear skies, light winds and dry air is the driving force for these temperatures," Mr Campbell told The Gympie Times.

A high pressure system over the souht-west of the continent, which slowly moving eastwards will drift into the Coral Sea by Sunday, he said.

"We will see a bit of moisture getting dragged ahead of the trough from the west on Sunday; increasing maximum temperatures to around 25 or 26 and minimum temperatures to around 7 or 8 degrees."

Gympie can expect clear days ahead of light showers next Tuesday. 

Gympie can expect light showers next Tuesday. 

Gympie forecast courtesy of Bureau of Meteorolgy. Picture: Frances Klein

TUESDAY

IF YOU were feeling frosty this morning that's because Gympie got down to a chilly three degrees at 6.30am; a cool shock after the incredible display of summer-like weather on the weekend.

And while it was 3 degrees, it actually felt more like 1.4 degrees.

Meanwhile the neighbours were faring a little better with 8.5 degrees at Tewantin, 5.9 degrees at Maryborough and 7.7 degrees at Hervey bay.

A push of dry air that arrived through the region yesterday, means we've been dealt the second coldest day this month, just warmer than the 2-degree temperatures at the start of the month on July 2 and 3.

Meteorologist Bryan James, of the Bureau of Meteorology, said the cool change, which brought light frost around Gympie this morning and a predicted clear day, will lift on Wednesday

"We've had some dry air that come through early yesterday morning, allowing the atmosphere to cool a lot more," Mr James told The Gympie Times.

"Cloud approaching from the south today will stop the cooling of the atmosphere at the lower levels on Wednesday."

Gympie's weekly forecast courtesy of Weatherzone. Picture: Contributed

But frost may return on Thursday and Friday as the temperatures cools again, he said.

While the swing in temperature from a minimum of 14 degrees to that of three this morning seems extreme for this time of year, the meteorologist said wide variations in temperature during winter are not unusual.

"During winter we do get fairly regular fluctuations in temperature due to troughs and fronts pushing through and changes in temperatures ahead and behind these features."

Top temperatures of 22 over the next three days with light winds.

Here's how cold it was around the state:

Gympie 3.0 (1.4)

Toowoomba 6.9 (felt like 2.3)

St George 2.8 (1.0)

Warwick 8.7 (4.9)

Oakey 6.5 (3.0)

Maroochydore 5.3 (3.0)

Tewantin 8.5 (7.3)

Amberley 8.5 (7.8)

Hervey Bay 7.7 (5.1)

Maryborough 5.9 (4.2)

Bundaberg 9.1 (6.6)

Gladstone 15.1 (12.2)

Moranbah 11.0 (8.8)

Mackay 14.8 (13.0)

Rockhampton 13.9 (12.7)