Parts of southeast Australia shiver through coldest May mornings on record

Parts of southeast Australia saw record cold temperatures on Sunday and Monday, May 30 and 31, 2021, with many inland areas plunging below freezing temperatures. Temperatures in Melbourne City, Victoria, plunged to 1.7 °C (35 °F)– its coldest May morning for 71 years. Renmark and Adelaide in South Australia also recorded their coldest May morning since 1927, with temperatures dipping to 3.5 °C (38.3 °F).

It was a frosty Sunday across southeast Australia, with temperature records tumbling across the region. 

Residents in the city of Melbourne woke up to their coldest May morning for 71 years and 364 days, with the mercury dropping to 1.7 °C (35 °F). The area's coldest ever recorded May morning was -1.1 °C (30 °F) set on May 29, 1916.

In Victoria, Adelaide dipped to 3.5 °C (38.3 °F)– the equal coldest May morning since 1927. Some of the lowest overnight minimums included Mt. Hotham with 6.2 °C (43.2 °F), Yunta with 4.8 °C (40.6 °F), Rutherglen with 4.7 °C (40.5 °F), and Horsham with 4.3 °C (39.7 °F).

Other areas in states such as New South Wales, ACT, and Tasmania also saw their lowest minimums, including 5.2 °C (41.4 °F) at Mount Hope, 4.1 °C (39.4 °F) at Canberra, 3.9 °C (39 °F) at Fingal, and -0.3 °C (31.5 °F) at Launceston.

In South Australia, the town of Renmark recorded its coldest May morning as the mercury dropped to a chilling -5.1 °C (22.8 °F). The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) declared a record-breaking low for the town's airport before 21:00 UTC on Sunday (07:00 LT on Monday).

Early Monday morning, May 31, the towns of Loxton and Lameroo registered below freezing temperatures of -3.5 and -1.1 °C (25.7 and 30 °F), respectively. Near Adelaide, Nuriootpa hit exactly 0 °C (32 °F), while Strathalbyn plummeted to 0.3 °C (31.5 °F). 

"Spare a thought for those out in the Riverland, though," meteorologist Tina Donaldson told ABC Radio Adelaide.

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