Australia is in the grip of an icy blast as temperatures plummet across large parts of the country, with the winter solstice – the shortest day of the year – just around the corner.
On Friday morning, widespread frost coated much of New South Wales, Victoria and even parts of Queensland. A combination of cold air and clear skies pushed temperatures below zero, with some areas recording their coldest morning in two years.
“This is definitely the lowest temperatures that we’ve seen this year [for some],” Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) senior meteorologist Miriam Bradbury told ABC News. “But that makes sense as we’ve moved into the beginning of winter, and typically that sort of June, July period is the coldest for most parts of Australia.”
But which town can truly claim the crown as Australia’s coldest? The very question was put to the BOM’s climate team, and the stats reveal two chilly champions – depending on how you measure it.
Cooma: Coldest Nights
When it comes to overnight minimum temperatures, Cooma in southern New South Wales takes top honours. Nestled at 800 metres elevation in the Snowy Mountains region, Cooma averages a frosty -2.6°C on July nights, with the airport recording a similar -2°C. This week, Cooma lived up to its reputation, shivering through -7°C on Thursday and a bone-chilling -8.5°C on Friday morning.
“Anything elevated is going to be cooler because the temperature does decrease with height,” Ms Bradbury explained. “So Cooma, because it’s got that little bit of elevation, generally sees a cooler climate than some of those lower-lying areas.”
Honourable mention goes to Walcha in the Northern Tablelands, where July nights average a brisk -2.2°C.
Oberon: Coldest Days
If daytime chill is the measure, Oberon in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales takes the title. Even in the middle of the day, July temperatures in Oberon barely reach between 8.1°C and 8.8°C on average. Throw in a bit of wind chill, and it feels colder still.
“When it’s windier, it feels colder,” Ms Bradbury said. “When it’s more humid or the dew point temperature is higher, it tends to feel warmer.”
In fact, both Oberon and Cooma are tied for coldest town when you look at average temperatures overall – no tie-breaker needed to know it’s freezing in both.
Record low for Australia… and beyond
While Cooma and Oberon claim the coldest town titles, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Australia was far more extreme. Charlotte Pass in the Snowy Mountains hit -23°C on June 29, 1994. On a global scale, Vostok Station in Antarctica holds the record low, plunging to a staggering -89.4°C on July 21, 1983.
With the winter solstice upon us, Australians can expect a few more weeks of frosty mornings and icy days – and perhaps a few more records to fall before spring begins to thaw the chill.
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