Record-Breaking Cold Hits Queensland as Temperatures Plummet

A rare weather phenomenon has gripped Queensland as temperatures plummet to record-breaking lows, following in the wake of a system that brought snow and rain to southern states. Notably, Palmerville in Cape York shattered a century-old record with its coldest July day since 1899, recording a minimum temperature of 0.5 degrees, the chilliest morning since 1913.

The uncharacteristic cold snap has spread across the region, with Normanton Airport in the Gulf of Carpentaria experiencing its coldest July morning since 2007 at 8.2 degrees. Long-time resident Shannon Gallagher remarked on the unusual weather, highlighting the rarity of such low temperatures in her three decades living there.

A complex low-pressure system over the Tasman Sea and a high-pressure system over central Australia have converged to create the unusual weather patterns, resulting in southerly and south-westerly airflow causing the drop in temperatures. The same system responsible for the recent snowfall and high rainfall in Victoria is now affecting northern and central Queensland.

Many locations across the state felt the brunt of the cold, with Mount Isa reaching -0.5 degrees, its coldest July morning since 2018. Townsville and Cairns also experienced their chilliest mornings in at least two years. Despite the widespread frosts expected over the weekend, the Bureau of Meteorology has ruled out any chance of snow in Queensland.

In Townsville, temperatures dipped as low as 7 degrees on Thursday morning, mirroring the overnight minimum in Hobart. Swimmers like Julie Boxell adapted to the unseasonably cold conditions, donning beanies for their early morning swims as they marveled at the anomaly of such low temperatures.

Meanwhile, on the Granite Belt in the state’s far south, residents like Leeanne Gangemi from Ballandean Estate Wines welcomed the cold weather as a necessary part of their grape-growing process. Gangemi emphasized the importance of the cold winter for their deciduous crops, noting that the chill is essential for the growth cycle.