Australia weather: Millions of residents shiver through coldest morning in months – what the weather looks like for Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne
Millions of Aussies have endured their coldest morning in months as freezing temperatures persist and gale-force winds batter the country.
A low-pressure system formed just off the coast of New South Wales and attracted arctic south-westerly winds on Wednesday.
Much of the state shook during the coldest morning since October, with Sydney residents waking up to 11.9 degrees Celsius and Newcastle recording a temperature of 13.6 degrees Celsius.
The frigid conditions crept into Queensland, where Toowoomba recorded 8 degrees Celsius – seven degrees colder than any other morning so far this year.
Residents along the NSW coast have been warned of damaging winds and dangerous surf as a low-pressure system attracts arctic southerly winds (stock image)
“So that’s a shock to the system there in the southern parts of Queensland,” Sky News Australia meteorologist Rob Sharpe said.
“There’s a lot of colder weather involved now.”
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued warnings from Sydney to the state’s north coast for dangerous surf and damaging winds.
Weatherzone predicts winds could reach up to 100km/h around Sydney and the Hunter Region coastline.
Sydneysiders are also expected to experience 15 degrees Celsius on Wednesday and Thursday, about seven degrees lower than the maximum temperature.
Winds reached 100km/h at Wattamolla, in Sydney’s south, at 2.30am, while Molineux Point and Sydney Harbor were hit by winds of about 80km/h early on Wednesday.
BOM’s warning urged those from Sydney to Coffs Harbor to take preventative measures to limit injuries and property damage.
These include moving vehicles under cover and away from trees, and securing loose items in the home.
It is also advisable to stay ‘at least eight meters away’ from fallen power lines or live objects such as electric fences.
The winds are also causing dangerous surfing conditions on south-facing beaches from Sydney to Seal Rocks, near Forster.
Cronulla, in Sydney’s south, saw a 4.9 meter swell just before 5am on Wednesday. This is forecast to fall over the weekend but remain ‘rough’ until Friday.
A number of other popular beaches around Sydney, such as Coogee and Maroubra, will not be patrolled on Wednesday.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned of dangers with winds of up to 100km/h in some areas between Sydney and Coffs Harbor (pictured)
A number of beaches in Sydney will not be patrolled on Wednesday as the south coast is battered by rough swells
A spokesperson for Weatherzone told Daily Mail Australia that conditions are expected to improve this weekend as a rigid high-pressure system rolls into the area.
Temperatures are forecast to peak on Sunday and into the first week before another bout of cloud and showers hits the NSW coast.
The area is still recovering from last week’s deluge, which saw a month’s worth of rain fall in Sydney, Port Macquarie and Taree on Friday.
The massive rainfall delayed trains and prompted evacuation warnings for thousands of residents along the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers.
Wild weather on the east coast also prompted major flood warnings for residents along Queensland’s Balonne, Condamine, Maranoa, Warrego and Barcoo rivers on Wednesday.
A strong warning was also issued for Victoria’s Central Coast, Central Gippsland Coast and East Gippsland Coast on Wednesday.