If you woke up early today in South Australia, Victoria, parts of Tasmania and New South Wales, you may have noticed that winter arrived on time. Clear skies, gentle winds, and a cold air mass under a high pressure system were the perfect conditions for a chilly dawn. 

Images: Visible true-colour satellite images on Saturday 1st. 

Adelaide (SA) recorded 4.3°C at West Terrrace/Ngayirdapira. This is the lowest minimum temperature in June since 2022, when thermometers registered 4.0°C on June 27th. 

Winter started with sub-zero temperatures in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania: Cooma (NSW) recorded –4.0°C, Perisher Valley (NSW) –2.3°C, kunanyi Mount Wellington (TAS) –1.8°C, and Mount Hotham (Vic) -1.4°C. 

Kingscote Airport (SA) and Bull Bay Lauriston (TAS) recorded -0.2°C and were the locations with the most significant difference (around 7°C) between what was observed and the month’s average.  

These freezing weather conditions will continue tomorrow over much of the southeast. The map below shows blue tons in Victoria, Tasmania, and much of South Australia and New South Wales, indicating minimum temperatures are below 8°C. It also shows areas in dark blue in eastern Victoria, southeast New South Wales, and Tasmania, indicating negative temperatures on Sunday morning.  

Image: Daily minimum temperature forecast on Sunday 2nd, according to ECMWF.   

Most capital cities should experience some very cool nights as the cool air mass spreads across the states in the next few days. Highlights include: 

• Adelaide’s minimum temperature will drop again to 4°C on early Sunday and 5°C on Monday.   
• Melbourne’s overnight temperature will drop to around 7°C on Saturday night and early Sunday.  
• Saturday night should be particularly cold for Hobart with the temperature dropping to around 4°C.   
• Frost is forecast in Canberra on Tuesday night, with temperatures chilling to around -1°C.   

 To find out the weather forecast in your city, check the Weatherzone website.