Winter finally arrives with strongest frost of the season

JUNEE woke to its strongest frost of the season on Friday as a pool of frigid Antarctic air surged across southern Australia, sending temperatures below zero across much of the Riverina.

Sporting fields, parks, paddocks and vehicles were coated in a thick layer of ice, with Loftus Oval resembling a skating rink as frost lingered across shaded areas well into the morning.

Frost covered Loftus Oval on Friday morning as a surge of frigid Antarctic air brought widespread sub-zero temperatures to the Riverina | © The Junee Bulletin

At Wagga Airport, the temperature fell to an official -0.8 degrees Celsius at 8.04am, while the apparent temperature dropped to a biting -4.7 degrees.

The mercury plunged even lower elsewhere in the region, reaching -2 degrees at Griffith, -1.7 degrees at Young and Kapooka, -1.5 degrees at Narrandera and -1 degree at Temora.

Ice coated vehicles across Junee as freezing temperatures delivered the town’s strongest frost of the season | © The Junee Bulletin

Weatherzone meteorologist Anthony Sharwood said the apparent temperature provided a better indication of how conditions felt to the human body than the thermometer reading alone.

“The ‘feels-like’ temperature accounts for humidity and wind to represent how hot or cold it actually feels, whereas ‘ambient temperature’ is the actual air temperature measured by a thermometer,” he said.

Despite Wagga reaching a maximum of 11 degrees about 1.30pm, the apparent temperature remained below six degrees throughout the day, as the frigid air mass continued to grip the region.

Frost clings to the Loftus Oval sign after temperatures dropped below zero in Junee | © The Junee Bulletin

Mr Sharwood said the icy conditions were felt across almost the entire country overnight.

“Every Australian state and territory except the Northern Territory experienced sub-zero minimums overnight, with a lowest recorded nationwide reading of -7°C at Thredbo Top Station,” he said.

“A frosty morning was on the breakfast weather menu not just for residents of inland regions, but for people in many low-lying locations situated not too far from the coast.”

While winter is now more than halfway over, Friday’s widespread frost was the most significant of the season so far in Junee, following several weeks of relatively mild overnight conditions.

Temperatures are forecast to climb to around 11 degrees again on Saturday after another near-freezing night, although apparent temperatures are expected to remain considerably lower.