COLD SNAP: how much longer will Roma endure near-freezing temps?

Unusually cold nights have dipped close to freezing temperatures in Roma. How long will it continue, and when can we expect a reprieve?

BIG CHILL: Roma residents shivered through almost freezing temperatures.

UNUSUALLY low temperatures for early May practically froze residents of Roma overnight, but believe it or not, the mercury didn’t quite drop below zero – it just felt like it.

While the actual temperature dropped to a frigid 0.7 degrees early this morning, the apparent temperature was closer to -1.7, according to Bureau of Meteorology data.

For early May, these chilly temperatures are well below the monthly average, and the Bureau’s duty forecaster Peter Markworth said it was a trend seen across southern Queensland since the start of the month.

“What’s driving a lot of this cold dry air is a big high, directing southerly winds over southeast Australia, and southern Queensland as a result,” he said.

“A few locations in the Maranoa and Warrego, as well as the Darling Downs, did see some of their coldest temperatures this morning, hitting well below average by about eight degrees.

“The minimum in Roma got close to zero degrees, while the apparent temperature fell below zero thanks to the dry and windy conditions.”

Roma also hit a low of 0.7 degrees on Saturday morning, making it the only town in Queensland to record the exact same low temperature on both days.

Looking forward, we can enjoy a slight reprieve to warm our toes this week; Mr Markworth said the coming days would be a complete turnaround from what we have experienced over the weekend.

“Generally, we are going to see a warming trend around the region, in subsequent days we will get the slightly warmer temperatures, but it will happen at different rates depending on location,” he said.

“From Wednesday some average and above average temperatures will start to return, and by the weekend we should see between five and seven degrees above average.”

In the past 72 hours, the lowest temperatures around the region here:

Roma: 0.7

St George: 3.8

Charleville: 2.7

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