A dusting of snow on higher parts of the Mid-Western Region and Mudgee's coldest August day in nearly three decades, were just some of the results of a brisk cold front that swept across the Central Tablelands on Friday and hung around until Sunday evening.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cold-air systems crossing the southeastern parts of the country brought snow to elevated eastern parts of NSW. Including; Hargraves; Aarons Pass; Cherry Tree Hill; Cooyal; and at Hill End.
This kept the mercury low, with Saturday's maximum temperature at the Mudgee Airport weather station only getting to 7.9°C, which was eight degrees below the monthly average and the lowest for an August day at the location since the 4th in 1991 (6.7°C).
At the local region's highest Bureau of Meteorology weather station - Nullo Mountain, outside Rylstone - on Saturday peaked at a mere 2.3°C.
Powerful winds accompanied the intense system, with gusts above 30km/h recorded regularly throughout Saturday and the highest speed of the weekend of 59km/h occurring on Sunday around 2pm.
Mudgee did finally get some rainfall across the three days though, with 10.2mm falling from Friday to Sunday.
This won't make much of a dent in the year-so-far deficit of over 100mm to the average at the airport weather station, but it does make August the wettest month since May after July (4mm) and June (7.6mm) didn't even hit double digits.
Snow and ice resulted in closed roads across the Central West, as well as the cancellation of a number of events including Sunday's Group 10 games in Oberon and Orange which are to be replayed mid-week.
The latter affecting the local Dragons sides, who were due to Wade Park to take on the CYMS, but with the ground covered in snow and ice the fixtures were called off with worries over safety cited as the main concern.
Back in Mudgee, the minimum temps weren't literally freezing during the weekend.
However, go back further in the week to the 24-hour period ending 9am last Tuesday and you'll find the lowest August minimum reading on record for the airport weather station with -6.4°C (previous record -6.1°C in 1994).
This was during a run of clear nights and days, more of which is forecast for the week ahead in Mudgee and a -6°C start is possible for Wednesday.
