CANBERRA has had its coldest winter in 12 years, and night temperatures have averaged below zero for the first time since 1997.  

Chief Meteorologist at The Weather Channel Dick Whitaker says the abnormally cold nights were due to extended periods of calm and stable weather.

“Our minimums eventually averaged -0.4?C, more than one degree below average but our maximums averaged 13.2?C, nearly one degree above normal,” he says.

“The overall average temperature of 6.4?C was bang on Canberra’s long term average but was the coldest in 12 years due to warm weather over the past decade.”

While it was the coldest winter in over a decade, rainfall was near average.

“Rain was near average this winter with 119.5mm recorded to 9am today, our wettest in two years,” Whitaker says.

“The cold winter combined with near average rain lead to a bumper ski season across the Australian Alps. By late August the peak snow depth was well over 1.5 meters on the high slopes.”

Looking ahead to spring, Whitaker predicts above average temperatures and below average rainfall.

“This would be a consequence of the warmer Indian Ocean and reduced cloud cover during daylight hours associated with El Niño and a positive IOD,” he says.