Cold snap reprieve over as morning temperatures set to plunge

After a weekend of temperatures well above average, Queenslanders have been told to prepare for a dramatic drop with sub-zero starts and frost expected in several areas.

Stanthorpe is among several places expecting to hit -3C Monday morning. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

Queenslanders have been told not to get used to the unusually warm temperatures they’ve seen over the weekend, as the new week is set to deliver far colder mornings and nights.

Saturday and Sunday were warmer than typical July days across Queensland, with temperatures well above average in many parts of the state.

Senior Meteorologist Pieter Claassen said that minimum temperatures on Sunday morning were as high as 5-8 degrees above average in central and southeastern Queensland.

Despite the warmer weekend, it is set to get much cooler over the next few days, with some regions expecting temperatures to again fall below July averages.

“A cooler southerly change is pushing through southern and central Queensland [on Sunday morning], dropping maximum temperatures by up to about 6 degrees from what was recorded yesterday,” said Mr Claassen.

Overnight temperatures are forecast to be especially chilly through southeastern and central Queensland, with temperatures 7 degrees below July averages.

Mr Claassen said that overnight temperatures on Monday morning will be up to 10 degrees cooler than what Queenslanders saw on Sunday morning.

Though the nights will be the coldest, daytime temperatures in the southern and central interior of the state are also set to drop far enough that Mr Claassen expects “extensive frosts” in these areas during the week.

“Tuesday is likely to be the coldest morning, with a temperature of -5 forecast in Dalby,” he said.

“The entire week will see cold frosty mornings in central and southern parts though, with cool mornings extending to the northeast (areas south of about Ingham, including around Townsville) from Tuesday.”

Areas closer to the coast are not expected to hit such lows overnight, with Brisbane expecting to get down to 6C, Maleny 3C, Caloundra 6C and the Gold Coast Seaway 7C.

Originally published as Cold snap reprieve over as morning temperatures set to plunge