IT WAS just three days into August in 1997 when Swan Hill recorded its coldest minimum temperature for the month, and exactly 17 years later the temperature has dipped even further below freezing.
Although not the lowest the mercury has fallen in Swan Hill since records began — that title is held by July 2007 at -5.2C — a nippy -3.7C was registered around 7.30am on Sunday, making it the coldest August night on record.
Records indicate that August 3, 1997 was previously the coldest, dropping to -3C.
Bureau of Meteorology Mildura station manager Mark Wilgar said the wintry weather was cold “even for the weatherman”.
“We have been under the influence of a dominant high pressure system,” Mr Wilgar said.
“This time of year, typically it can mean it is the perfect combination of clear skies and light winds.
“It is also ideal for frost formation and cold mornings.”
Swan Hill was not the only site to experience below freezing temperatures over the weekend.
Mildura equalled its lowest temperature on record with the mercury dropping to -2.3C for three days in a row from Saturday, while on Monday Hopetoun recorded -4C and Balranald registered -2.7C yesterday.
The chilly weather has been a hot topic on social media, with one local fruit grower posting stunning pictures of a fruit tree covered in ice.
Rocky Trinci was monitoring the nectarine crop on his Woorinen South fruit block, when he came across a tree covered in icicles.
“I had the drippers going over night and there was one that burst spraying water onto the tree,” he said.
“It was a sight to see.”
Commenting on the photo, Veronica Smith- Ralph said they had to “wait for the sun to warm up the pipes for our hot water to come through”, while Barbara Sichounidis wrote that the image was “magical”.
Other readers sent pictures of the cold into The Guardian or posted them on Facebook.
Although not expected to be as cold as the weekend, the wintry weather is expected to hold for the rest of the week.
“We are certainly on an upward trajectory, as the week advances we will see the very cold starts ease to just cold starts,” Mr Wilgar said.
“So there is some relief in sight for people who have been suffering with the very cold starts.
“But the influence of the next high pressure system is not too far away.”
Yesterday, a minimum of -2.8C was reached.
The maximum temperature for today is expected to be 16C, with a low of 0, while tomorrow will be a little easier to bear with an overnight low of 3, reaching a maximum of 16C.
