Why the bitterly cold weather in Australia is about to get even WORSE

Why the bitterly cold weather is about to get even WORSE with unseasonable lows of -3C – but it’s good news for the weekend

  • Frosty temperatures on Australia’s east coast are set to continue this week
  • Icy polar air from Antarctica is being dragged over large parts of Australia
  • Forecasters say the chilly temperatures will start to heat up by the weekend 

It’s not even winter and residents across Australia’s east coast are already reaching for their gloves and scarves as they shiver off to work – with the cold blast likely to worsen in coming days.

The unseasonably cold snap is being caused by icy polar air from Antarctica creeping its way over the Southern Ocean past Tasmania and Victoria and onto New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland.

In some areas the mercury plummeted well below freezing in the past few days, reaching -7.5C at Glen Innes in Northern NSW and -9.5C at Perisher in the state’s Alpine region.

But the frosty winds rolling over the continent are making it feel even chillier and Bureau of Meteorology forecasters say the cold conditions are expected to get even worse.

The cold conditions are expected to stick around until the weekend as the east coast faces unseasonable low temperatures (pictured, a woman in Sydney)

Icy polar air from Antarctica is creeping its way over the Southern Ocean past Tasmania and Victoria and onto New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland.

Icy polar air from Antarctica is creeping its way over the Southern Ocean past Tasmania and Victoria and onto New South Wales, the ACT and Queensland.

‘It’s not unheard of with winter only a fortnight away, but we did have a very strong cold front pushing through this week,’ BoM Senior Meteorologist Jackson Browne told Daily Mail Australia.

‘We have a high pressure system that has moved in across NSW and it’s expected to be slow moving for much of the week, and because we aren’t getting any replacement of that air mass it’s going to warm very slowly.

‘So we will see temperatures return to the seasonal averages after Thursday… but it won’t be until Friday and Saturday when we see temperatures rise to above average.’

In Sydney and Melbourne temperatures will range from a low of 7C to highs of about 20C.

Hobart residents will suffer through lows of 4C and maximums of 17C this week.

While Brisbane’s forecast is predicted to dip to 12C and rise as high as 23C.

In Canberra, the mercury will dip to -3C and hit a high of 17C. 

A fire danger sign post is pictured covered in snow as temperatures plummet across NSW

A fire danger sign post is pictured covered in snow as temperatures plummet across NSW

The frosty polar winds rolling over the continent are making it feel even chillier on the east coast (pictured, women in Melbourne)

The frosty polar winds rolling over the continent are making it feel even chillier on the east coast (pictured, women in Melbourne)

Perisher resort in Australia's alpine region reached 9.5C on Sunday claiming the coldest temperatures across Australia (pictured)

Perisher resort in Australia’s alpine region reached 9.5C on Sunday claiming the coldest temperatures across Australia (pictured) 

Despite the bitterly cold weather, Mr Browne said the upcoming winter is actually expected to be warmer than average.

‘You can’t base the whole winter off one weather event,’ he said.

‘The temperature outlook for the next three months is predicted to be above the median in most parts, stretching over southeast Australia from Adelaide to Canberra and then up to Brisbane.’

But while the east coast has been coming to terms with the big chill, over in Western Australia, autumn temperatures are soaring.

‘It’s a different story over on the west coast where they are experiencing unusually warm temperatures, about 8C above average for this time of year.’

The cold burst is expected ease on Wednesday temperatures becoming more stable next week. Pictured: A snow-covered visitor to the Mt Buller resort in eastern Victoria this week

The cold burst is expected ease on Wednesday temperatures becoming more stable next week. Pictured: A snow-covered visitor to the Mt Buller resort in eastern Victoria this week

Canberra woke up to a blast of icy weather on Sunday morning as the mercury clocked just -5.4C (pictured: people riding bikes in Canberra)

Canberra woke up to a blast of icy weather on Sunday morning as the mercury clocked just -5.4C (pictured: people riding bikes in Canberra) 

THE WEATHER IN YOUR CITY 

 PERTH 

Tuesday: Possible shower. Max 24

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Min 12 – Max 23

Thursday: Sunny. Min 11 – Max 25

Friday: Mostly sunny. Min 11 – Max 24

Saturday: Showers. Min 12 – Max 19

Sunday. Showers. Min 12 – Max 18 

ADELAIDE 

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Max 19

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Min 10 – Max 19

Thursday: Partly cloudy. Min 11 – Max 21

Friday: Sunny. Min 10 – Max 22

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min 13 – Max 22

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Min 15 – Max 23 

MELBOURNE 

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Max 17

Wednesday: Partly cloudy. Min 10 – Max 19

Thursday: Shower or two. Min 11 – Max 17

Friday: Mostly sunny. Min 7 – Max 17

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min 9 – Max 19

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Min 12 – Max 19 

HOBART 

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Max 17

Wednesday: Shower or two. Min 11 Max 18

Thursday: Shower or two. Min 11 – Max 16

Friday: Mostly sunny. Min 4 – Max 16

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min 7 – Max 18

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Min 8 – Max 17 

CANBERRA 

Tuesday: Morning frost. Cloud clearing. Max 14

Wednesday: Morning frost. Mostly sunny. Min -3 – Max 14

Thursday: Early frost. Partly cloudy. Min 0 Max16

Friday: Sunny. Min 1 – Max 17

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min 1 – Max 17

Sunday: Partly cloudy. Min 4 – Max 17 

SYDNEY 

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Max 20

Wednesday: Sunny. Min 9 – Max 21

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Min 9 – Max 21

Friday: Shower or two. Min 12 – Max 21

Saturday: Partly cloudy. Min 12 – Max 18

Sunday: Showers. Min 12 – Max 18

BRISBANE 

Tuesday: Partly cloudy. Max 23

Wednesday: Possible shower. Min 13 – Max 23

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Min 13 – Max 24

Friday: Mostly sunny. Min 12 – Max 24

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Min 12 – Max 22

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Min 12 – Max 22

DARWIN 

Tuesday: Sunny. Max 32

Wednesday: Sunny. Min 20 – Max 33

Thursday: More humid and sunny. Min 23 – Max 33

Friday: Sunny. Min 23 – Max 33

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Min 23 – Max 33

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Min 22 – Max 33