Temps to plummet in Autumn cold snap

TEMPERATURES are set to soar across the Riverina this weekend ahead of a strong cold front that’s forecast to sweep the region on Sunday, ushering in autumn’s first burst of chilly weather.

The change will be significant and widely felt, with temperatures set to plummet by more than 25c in just 12 hours in some places.

The mercury is tipped to soar into the high-30s for the next three days in Junee, maxing out around 37c on Sunday, before falling to 11c on Monday morning – a 26c drop overnight.

Much cooler daytime temperatures will also follow as hot and humid conditions are replaced by drier cooler air, with a top of just 22c forecast in Junee for Monday and Tuesday.

Image: Predicted minimum temperature contrasts between Sunday and Monday across the southeast mainland. Source: Weatherzone

Weatherzone forecaster Anthony Sharwood said the weekend heat will seem like a distant memory by early next week.

“The chill in the air early next week will be a stark difference from the weekend weather and a reminder that the seasons are changing as we approach next week’s equinox,” Sharwood said.

Maximums in Canberra will be around 12-14 degrees lower than Saturday’s expected top of 35c, while NSW ski resorts could see sub-zero temps with frost on Tuesday morning.

The effects will also be widely felt across Victoria, where Melbourne’s bracing for a maximum temperature of just 17c on Monday.

But Sharwood said the system is unlikely to bring any substantial rainfall, with only Tasmania and far southern Victoria expecting falls of 10mm or more and clear sunny skies forecast in Junee for most of the working week.

“That’s fairly typical for an early autumn cold front which doesn’t peak far enough north to deliver widespread heavy rain and/or snowfalls on the mountains,” he said.