It feels like a very long winter in southern Queensland, where arctic-like temperatures won’t go away.
Key points:
- Wellcamp recorded the coldest temperature in Queensland
- The Met Office says a cold snap will remain through the weekend
- Tourists are embracing the cold and heading to the state’s quirkiest winter festival
Just when it looked like the last cold spell was over, another has once again gripped the south of the state, with the Darling Downs and the South West shivering in below-average temperatures.
Wellcamp, outside Toowoomba, was the coldest place in Queensland this morning at minus 2.7 degrees Celsius, three degrees below the average minimum for the area.
Warwick also started the morning frosty, reaching -2C, while Stanthorpe recorded -2.2C and Oakey -1.9C.
Cold in the west
Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Brooke Pagel said sunny but frosty mornings would continue for the rest of the week.
“So, unfortunately, for at least the next couple of days, you’re going to see those morning temperatures between about 0°C and 3°C,” he said.
“We still have south to southwest [winds] we still have some left around, so we have gusts of up to about 20 kilometers per hour in these.
“Light winds in the morning and then a real gust in the middle of the day, becoming light in the afternoon.”
Further south-west, Rome dropped five degrees below average to -1.6 degrees.
“It’s going to be just as cold, if not colder, tomorrow, so it’s going to be a definite cold pot,” BOM forecaster Shane Kennedy said.
“But we’ll see daytime temperatures warm up a bit more to around 17 to 20 degrees.”
Stanthorpe hit a low of -2.2 degrees this morning. (Alure Stanthorpe: Marion Carrick)
Charleville was also three degrees below its July average at 1.2 degrees.
“Charleville had a low of two yesterday, while their average is around five degrees, so a bit below average for them, but their maximum temperatures are around average over the next few days ” Ms. Pagel said.
“Once again, they will have a bit of a frost in the morning and we are looking at minimum temperatures of between one and three degrees for Friday.”
In Warwick, in Queensland’s Southern Downs, residents haven’t stopped taking it, while trees, buildings and even park benches are also covered in winter wool.
Winter cash injection
The Jumpers & Jazz festival has kicked off in the city, with the buildings and trees lining the high street being bombarded with knitted covers to celebrate the extravagant event.
Tourists are making the most of their perfect winter getaway.
Phil Jauncy from Brisbane popped by yesterday in his warmest gear to watch the tree dressing competition.
Vic Pennisi dons her crochet coat of many colors for the festival (ABC Southern Queensland: Georgie Hewson)
“We thought we’d come and have a look at all the lovely wool and knit stuff they’ve made – it’s absolutely fantastic,” she said.
“The cold is getting to me but I’m wearing a nice jacket and I love the civic pride – people doing their best makes it really great for the city.”
Mayor Vic Pennisi said it might be the coldest place in Queensland most of the time, but the atmosphere could only be described as warm.
The city has been “yarn pumped” in winter woollies. (ABC Southern Queensland: Anthea Moodie)
“It’s the coldest weather in Queensland, with the warmest people,” he said.
Thousands of winter tourists are expected to come this weekend.
“It would be a huge boost to the economy. I couldn’t put a monetary value on it, but I’m sure there will be a number,” Ms Pennisi said.
“If you came here on a particular Sunday, the street was packed, absolutely packed,”
“The [financial] the injection will be huge.”
More frost is expected
Heading into the weekend, more morning frost is expected across the Darling and Southern Downs.
“And on Saturday we’re seeing overnight temperatures drop by one to four degrees, with daytime temperatures around 20 degrees,” Ms Pagel said.
The pillars are left at points as the thread helps to give the post office some life. (ABC Southern Queensland: Georgie Hewson)
She expects the cold snap to taper off later Sunday, when “it will be a little warmer overnight.”
“Overnight temperatures fall to around four degrees and maximum temperatures are expected to be around 17 to 20 degrees, with Stanthorpe at the lower end of the scale and then the 20s a little further west with Goondiwindi.”
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