Posted on 07/12/2014 11:12:29 AM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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If you are lucky enough to be reading this from the comfort of your blankets, it might be best to stay there, as Brisbane has hit its coldest temperatures in 103 years.
Not since July 28 1911 has Brisbane felt this cold, getting down to a brisk 2.6C at 6.41am.
At 7am, it inched up to 3.3C.
Matt Bass, meteorologist from BOM, said the region was well below our average temperatures.
“If it felt cold, that’s because it was, breaking that record is pretty phenomenal for Brisbane,” Bass said.
“The average for this time of year is 12C, so Brisbane was about 9C below average, it is pretty impressive really, to have the coldest morning in 103 years is a big record.”
The coldest place across the state was Oakey which got down to -6.1C, which was the coldest temperature for the town since 2011.
FREEZING: Records tumble with the temperature
BRRRR: Cold snap hits south of state
Brisbane wasn’t the only town hitting landmark temperatures with Clermont breaking its coldest record two days in a row.
The scene by the Condamine River at Warwick. Pic: Chris McFerran Source: Supplied
“Clermont in the coal fields got down to -4.5 which is a new record for them, their previous record was -3.7, which was set yesterday, so they’ve re-broken their record two days in a row.”
All these cold temperatures are being brought on as cold air moves up from the south, combined with clear nights.
“We are seeing a series of cold fronts push really cold air across South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, which has brought low level snow.
“Which is good for the ski fields down there, but once all that air moves up towards Queensland it is still very cold and it loses all that moisture that drops all over Victoria and those other areas.
These horses brave a frosty morning in Stanthorpe where it was reported to be -6C. Pic: Paul Tully. Source: Supplied
The temperature gauge is starting to slowly rise in Brisbane sitting at a cool 3.6c shortly before 8am, with a top of 22c expected for today, although don’t get too excited as the cold temperatures are expected again tomorrow.
“There will be another cold morning tomorrow, probably not as cold as this morning but it will still be very frosty across the Darling Downs and the interior and very cold along much of the coastal strip as well.
Forecasts predict more cold air will be dragged from the southern ocean, pushing temperatures further down.
Cows among the frost at Warwick. Pic: Terry West, Southern Downs Weather and Stormchasing. Source: Supplied
“By Tuesday and Wednesday we will have a bit of cloud around, we are looking at temperatures back towards the average of around 11C.”
Other chilly areas were;
Warwick -5.9
Kingaroy -5.7
Applethorpe -5.4
Dalby -5.0
Clermont -4.5
Miles -4.3
Roma -4.3
Beaudesert -3.8
Ipswich/Amberley -2.5
Gympie -1.5
Charleville -1.5
Coolangatta 1.0 – coldest morning since July 2011
Sunshine Coast 2.0
Meanwhile, the cold snap is predicted to send vegetable prices soaring up to three times normal prices.
The combination of an unusually late start to winter plus a sudden plummet to near-record lows has confused the growing cycles of just about every plant.
Queensland horticulture organisation Growcom chief advocate Rachel Mackenzie said the last fortnight’s weather has caused a significant reduction in availability of some fruits and vegetables.
“The first cold snap can be expected to affect production until the produce adapts to the cold and begins growing normally again,” said Ms Mackenzie.
“Yes, prices will go up in the short term, however from a very low base.
“In May and June the temperature was 5C to 6C above average. Consequently there was a flush of vegetables causing an oversupply which was disastrous for growers in terms of returns.
“Prices were very low and growers were not covering the cost of production at this time.
“The price rises are normal for this time of year and reflect the work of Mother Nature and the usual supply and demand issues experienced in the horticulture industry.
“Growers are price takers – produce prices are largely determined by the market rather than being set by producers.”
Broccoli, cucumbers, cauliflower, snow peas and lettuce are among the varieties tipped to be more pricey.
Commercial buyer for Clayfield Fresh Markets Mick Crouch, said broccoli typically sells for $3-$4 per kilogram at this time of year, but has already hit $10 per kilogram in some stores.
“When the cold snap hits, supply slows down and prices go up. The temperature either kills or freezes the crops and they don’t get enough heat to grow,” he said.
“We’ll start to see broccoli, snow peas, lettuce and cauliflower struggle next week. Cauliflowers will be at least $6 each, and corn will go up to $2 a cob – 50¢ is normal for this time of year, so it’s a 300 per cent increase.”
Food Connect founder Robert Pekin said growers in southeast Queensland were feeling the chill.
“Queensland is a big market for cucumber and zucchini, and things have basically halted in the paddock and even greenhouses,” he said.
“We have a cucumber farmer who said his crops have stayed at 1.5 inches long for the last three weeks.”
But the news isn’t all bad.
“The citrus farmers are loving it – it really sweetens up the blood oranges, and heirloom varieties of carrots and parsnips are doing really well, too,” he said.
Originally published as City plummets to coldest in 103 years
Global Warming strikes again! /sarc
Oh, dear... in the northern United States, we actually have to put on our jackets.
Global Warming guru kogi – wearing his ever present Nobel medal – is seen here en-route to an important “scientific” conference in Nassau hosted by the UN/IPCC where he was to be the keynote speaker.
Topics on the agenda were to have included “Finding a Good Bail Bondsman,” “Not ALL Criminal Lawyers Are Sharks,” “Changing Careers for Dummies,” “You Want Fries With That?,” “How To Encrypt Emails,” “The Best Prison Jobs,” “Getting Along With Your Cellmate” and “Getting Used to Sleeping On Your Back.”
A sudden – and unfortunate – blast of what the “scientist” in charge of the conference termed “global warming” caused the meeting to be rescheduled until Algore can be thawed some time next Spring – assuming there will BE one.
Our reporter has learned that the influential conservative web site Free Republic has launched a contribution drive to rent a freezer locker in which to keep Gore for the 10 to 15 years estimated it will take for the so-called “mainstream media” to begin covering the Climategate story.
H/T to the Drudge Report!
Thanks for the photo....
The ever-present Global Warming —always concentrated over the United States— is SO strong in the Northern Hemisphere now that the extreme warmth is attracting a Southern Polar vortex which is sweeping across Australia…
Interesting article...thanks for posting!
Poor ol’ saltwater crocodiles. Probably don’t have mittens or fur lined joskstraps, either.
In the words of detective John McClain: “welcome to the party, pal!”
CC
Brisbane is tropical folks.Temps that low there is much like snow in Miami.
Now will somebody smart help me make a real temperature out of that Celsius stuff? Let’s see...0 C is 32 F, right? And 100 C is 212 F, right? That’s a difference of 180 F, divided by 100, or 1.8 F = 1 C.
So 2.6 C x 1.8 = 4.68. Then you have to add back the 32 F, giving you 36.68 degrees F. They call THAT cold???
Did I get it right?
I remember last winter when it was really cold in the US the warmists tried to point to Australia as an example of global warming.
Ties in with reports abt the S. Pole being so bitterly cold with a steadily increasing amt of ice!
Yeah, you got it right, but Brisbane has a subtropical climate like Jacksonville FL and mid-30s in the city would mean frosts in outlying agricultural areas. Where they show the horses in the snow or frost, it’s about 20 F.
Nothing to impress most of us but the Aussies spend nine tenths of their lives in shorts and tee-shirts so this is big news for them.
Looks like our neighbors to the south are having a bit of Al Gore Global Warming.
“Polar Vortex!” / sarcasm
Winter in the Southern hemisphere.
What a cold snap in Australia.
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