Mackay weather: New lowest maximum temp recorded as region shivers

We shivered and complained about the cold, and with good reason – Monday chalked up a new record for the coldest July day in 23 years, but it wasn’t the one the weather gurus initially thought.

Zoe Devenport

2 min read

July 5, 2022 - 11:24AM

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Cool got colder last night as Mackay broke a 23-year record for July’s lowest maximum temperature.

The new low of 13.4C after a chilling downpour of more than 80mm broke the previous record set in 1998.

While Mackay City challenged a 35-year-old record for the coldest July day, it was at Mackay Airport that the mercury dropped most dramatically.

The Bureau of Meteorology’s Helen Reid said the temperature last night had broken a previous record of 13.9C set on July 11, 1998.

She said Mackay Airport was one of “a couple of places that have come through with the lowest maximum for July” amid increased rainfall across the eastern seaboard.

“Basically we’ve got a cold drier air mass coming through from the south at the surface, and then we’ve got this rainfall coming down through that,” she said.

“As that rain falls, it also evaporates and that’s that whole process of evaporative cooling, so that helps the temperature go down even lower as well.

“So it’s all just adding up to not a very nice, warm day at all.”

With reports of a flooded creek washing two vehicles off Oxford Downs Sarina Road, it is hoped the 87mm rainfall won’t have more serious consequences than cold temperatures.

There is an initial minor flood warning for Cape River and Burdekin Falls Dam to the west, and Ms Reid said she expected some roads across the region to be closed.

Motorists are urged to avoid flooded causeways and roads.

It’s official: Mackay has not been this cold in July in 35 years

Mackay is on track to record its coldest July day in more than 35 years.

The mercury struggled to rise today as unusually cool temperatures dropped to 12.7C as of 3.40pm.

This could potentially break the record for Mackay’s lowest maximum temperature of 13C set on July 29, 1986.

Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Harry Clark said a new record low was yet to be confirmed, but Mackay people would be feeling the chill more than average.

He chalked the “unusual temperature” up to weather patterns acting “a bit like an evaporative aircon”.

He said the combination of a dry southerly wind on top of cloud and rain was helping drop temperatures in Mackay and along the eastern seaboard.

“So you’re not getting any sun in, that rain is falling into that air and it’s making it cool even further,” Mr Clark said.

“The moisture evaporating actually cools the air down around it.”

Thankfully, he said the weather should warm up after Wednesday, as the cool weather system continued moving east and offshore.