The Hunter freezes as frost hits
Sunday, 14 July 2002
Night time temperatures for the first two weeks of July
have been near record breaking at many stations across the Hunter. Temperatures
have been recorded as low as -6.5°C. These consistently low readings have been
the coldest since July 1986.
Because of the low temperatures, morning frost has been quiet severe with
reports of plumbing and paddles freezing in the inland areas.
The vegetation surrounding Maitland, Cessnock and
Singleton have all showed signs of frost bight. This has not helped the current
dry spell that is presently gripping the region. Up until this morning, most
locations across the Hunter have recorded nill rainfall since late June.
The dry weather is partly responsible for the cold
overnight temperatures. Dew point temperatures for the last few weeks have been
below 0°C. Because there is little moisture in the soil and air, both the air
temperatures and ground temperatures have dropped well below freezing on calm
clear nights away from the coast. back...
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