Queensland weather: Freak high across southern Australia causes icy chill

Queensland has been plunged into the depths of winter, with relentless rain and subzero temperatures extending into the outback. You can blame it on a freak high.

Forecast minimum temperatures across Australia today. Picture: Weatherzone

Temperatures have plummeted across central and southwestern Queensland this morning as a high pressure system over southern Australia strengthens.

Following days of steady rain, clear skies and light winds overnight have seen subzero apparent temperatures as far west as Birdsville, where it felt like -2C at 6.10am, with an actual temperature of 1.6C.

Charleville dropped to -0.8C at 6.10am, but felt like -1.2C, while it was 2.5C in Windorah but felt like -0.6C.

Forecast minimum temperatures across Australia on Thursday. Picture: Weatherzone

Weatherzone’s Ben Domensino said Queensland along with most of Australia was starting to feel the icy chill of an unusually strong midwinter high pressure system.

“This high will continue to cause very low minimum temperatures in Tasmania and other areas of southeastern Australia over the next few mornings,” he said.

“The large high will also cause noticeably cold morning temperatures to spread to other areas of the country, including the tropics.

“Some places in southern Australia cold experience their lowest temperatures in years over the next few days.

“It should get cold enough for frost to form in Australia’s Red Centre on Wednesday and Thursday, while Darwin could cool to the mid-teens on Friday.”

It comes after South East Queensland recorded their highest rainfall totals for more than a month, with 13.5mm falling in Brisbane since 9am Tuesday, 37mm at Alexandra Hills, 35mm at Cape Moreton and 20mm at Coolangatta.