There's cold and then there's Darwin "cold".

And while Darwin cold is not what anyone in the southern half of Australia - or even the southern half of the Northern Territory - would call real cold, it's all relative.

The NT capital has just shivered its way through its third straight night of frigid sub 20°C temps. Brrrr! And don't think the locals aren't feeling it.

I'm in Darwin. I have two layers of clothing. #cold #20C #feelslike19 #freezing

— Bob Gosford (@bgosford) July 3, 2021

Minimums over the last three nights at Darwin Airport, the city's "official" weather station, have been 17.8°C, 18.5°C and 18.8°C respectively. That's almost cold enough to turn a croc to stone!

Min temps below 20°C are in fact not unusual at this time of year in Darwin. Indeed the average July minimum is 19.3°C - the only month where it's below 20°C.

All the same, it's always a bit of a shock to locals when they have to break out strange things called "blankets" and "layers".

NSW-based Weatherzone developer Andrew Miskelly is up in Darwin this week visiting family (he arrived there well before the Sydney Covid lockdown was enforced).

"We don't quite need a jumper in the evening, it's not that bad, or not for a southerner anyway, he said. "But you do have to pull a second sheet up when you're in bed and in extreme cases, a light blanket!

"I've even heard that some locals are now wearing pyjamas."

Image: You might say it's "biting cold". Source: @polletix on Pixabay.

Miskelly added that the days are "absolutely perfect right now", although he conceded that he may consider bringing a light jumper to Darwin's outdoors Deckchair Cinema this evening.

Oh, the hardship.

So what's causing the chilly nights?

"A high pressure system moving over southeastern Australia has been pushing a cool and dry airmass all the way up to the Top End," Weatherzone meteorologist Ben Domensino explained.

"However, more humid easterly winds will develop from Wednesday, which will cause Darwin's minimums to climb."

On behalf of all locals: phew!