Big frost expected to bring cold snap

SOUTHERN Queensland and the Darling Downs have again woken up to freezing conditions, with the mercury plunging to as low as minus 3.9C with a 1600km “frost blanket” also expected in days to come.

Roma was the coldest spot in Queensland yesterday morning at minus 3.9C – but for anyone stepping outside it would have felt more like the apparent temperature of -7.1C.

Towns across the Darling Downs and Granite Belt dropped below 0, with apparent temperatures of -6.8C at Oakey, -5.1C at Wellcamp and -4.9C at Warwick and -5.1C at Applethorpe.

Toowoomba hit 1.7C but felt colder.

The single digit temperatures were widespread across the state’s north and central west, Wide Bay and Burnett, Central Highlands and north to Ayr.

Closer to Brisbane, an apparent temperature of 3.5 was recorded at 5.30am. The actual temperature at Brisbane Airport was a slightly warmer 5.3C.

West of the city at Amberley, it was 0.6C, but felt colder.

The single digit temps continued on the Gold and Sunshine coasts, with anyone looking for a sunrise shot facing 7.8C and 4.9C respectively.

Widespread frost from the Darling Downs to the Atherton Tablelands is set to chill much of the state this week causing temperatures to drop into the negatives.

Meteorologist Harry Clark said Thursday and Friday were shaping up as the coldest days of the week on the back of the widespread frost.

Mr Clark said temperatures were forecast to drop as low as -2C, or colder, in many parts of the Darling Downs on Thursday.

“Queensland’s minimums and maximum temperatures will be about 3-5C below the July average,” he said.