Time is crazy. Australia had the coldest May on record, a great start to the ski season with snowfall, followed by a very warm first week of June, which melted almost all the snow.
Temperature anomalies compared to the historical average in Oceania this Saturday, June 10. SOURCE Climate Reanalys
It is snowing in Perisher this Friday June 9th, which has allowed the season to open this weekend.
By May, more than 100 Australian weather stations, new and old, recorded the coldest minimum temperatures since data were collected.
The eastern and central parts of the country typically saw temperatures 5 °C below the historical average and sometimes 10 °C below normal, with the mid-winter temperatures observed in the region.
Humidity levels were also well below average across the country, but that didn’t stop the snow and freezing temperatures.
Snowstorms are more typical in early July than late May.
Sydney saw its coldest May in 53 years with an average temperature of 15 °C, while Brisbane had its coldest May in 29 years after the temperature dropped to 11 °C.
Canberra’s average temperature was the lowest seen in the last 11 years at 7.8 °C and there were 18 days with the thermometer below 0 °C.
The colder temperatures can be attributed to the position of high-pressure systems in the area, which allow for clear night skies, meaning a greater loss of surface radiation overnight.
Low winds in southwest Australia also triggered a cold draft from the south that affected the entire country and caused a drop in minimum temperatures.
