Cold snap hits South West as Toowoomba commemorates 41 years since snow fell

It’s been more than four decades since the unthinkable happened and snow fell in Toowoomba, so how does this year’s winter stack up? Forecast here.

In 1984 Toowoomba residents lived out their winter wonderland dreams when the city recorded snow. Photo: Remember Toowoomba When.

A Bureau of Meteorology spokesman has forecast a warmer than average winter despite chilly morning temperatures throughout June and the start of July.

Throughout the first four days of July minimum daytime temperatures hovered around 4C, while 41 years ago snow fell in Toowoomba for one of the few times in history when temps plummet to -4.4C.

On July 3 1984 snow fell in Toowoomba. Photo: Remember Toowoomba When.

Throughout the month of June, the average minimum temperature for Queensland was the coolest since 2012, however, the minimum temperatures experienced in the southeastern interior on Friday morning though 4C to 6C below average in places, was not unusual for this time of year.

On Friday the minimum temperature for Toowoomba was 2.7C, Dalby was -1.1C, Warwick was 2C and Stanthorpe was 1.9C.

Despite chilly mornings the day time temperatures have been pleasant at 16.9C, 19.3C, 18.9C and 17.3C respectively.

The BOM spokesman said south-westerly winds had chilled southern Queensland.

“The combination of a large high moving east over the interior of the state and a vigorous complex low off the NSW coast is helping draw up cold, dry and very gusty west to south-westerly winds across southern Queensland,” he said.

“Easing winds and clear skies resulted on Friday morning, resulted in it being the coldest morning of this week across inland southeastern Queensland.

“Saturday morning is likely to remain on the cold side with morning frosts possible over the southeastern interior, though unlikely to be as cold as this morning.

“Frost is unlikely by Sunday with generally milder temperatures and more in the way of cloud along with the chance of showers, clearing again during Monday.”

Families rugged up in 1984 when temps plummeted to -4.4C. Photo: Remember Toowoomba When.

He said temperatures would remain cool throughout next week, however the forecast was for a warmer than average winter.

“Prominently dry conditions from Tuesday with cool temperatures and the chance of morning frosts are likely to return to inland southern Queensland and persist for much of next week,” they said.

“Generally, the outlook for the rest of Winter favours a tendency towards above average day time maximums and minimums when averaged across the three months of Winter. However, periodic cooler incursions with bursts of south-westerlies are still possible at times during the rest of July and into August.”

Originally published as Cold snap hits South West as Toowoomba commemorates 41 years since snow fell