Any Canberran with places to be in the morning would be familiar with partially shocking chills in the air after checking the current temperature and thinking, "it has to be colder than that".
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The Bureau of Meterology reported Thursday morning had varied ambient and apparent temperatures all over Canberra, with Canberra Airport at the time of the minimum temperature recording an ambient temperature of 3 degrees, and an apparent temperature of just below zero.
The Tuggeranong Valley, on the other hand, recorded an already freezing minimum ambient temperature of -2 degrees, which actually felt, according to the apparent temperature, like -5 instead.
Bureau of Meteorology senior meteorologist Jordan Notara said the difference in the two temperatures occurs due to measurements of different parts of the weather.
"The temperature, often referred to as the ambient temperature, measures the actual amount of heat present in the air. It indicates the objective measurement of how warm or cold the air is in a given location," he said.
"On the other hand, the apparent temperature, also known as the 'feels like' temperature, takes into account additional factors such as wind speed and humidity to provide a subjective measurement of how the weather feels to us.
"For example, the wind chill factor can make the air feel colder by stripping away the insulating layer of warm air around us, while high humidity can make it feel hotter due to reduced evaporation of sweat from our skin."
He said the temperature variations within the capital itself are due to a number of factors, however.
"When light winds prevail, cool air tends to settle in the lower-lying areas and valleys of Canberra, and as a result, these regions may witness lower minimum temperatures compared to surrounding higher elevations," he said.
"The sinking cold air gets trapped in the valleys, forming temperature inversions where cooler air remains near the surface while warmer air resides above.
"This local weather pattern can create microclimates within the city. Suburbs nestled in valleys, such as those near Molonglo Valley or Tuggeranong Creek, may experience colder nights during such calm weather conditions."
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While Canberra will still remain classically cold in the mornings, Mr Notara also said the remainder of winter will likely be warmer than average.
He said reports show Canberra has a more than 90 per cent chance of higher-than-median temperatures over July and August.
"This is due to the influence of a number of factors including likely warming in the tropical Pacific Ocean past El Nino thresholds, the potential development of a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, and record warm oceans globally," he said.
Of the forecast for the week ahead, the first minimum temperature below zero is not until Tuesday, with a forecast minimum for Canberra of -2 degrees and a maximum of 15.
Friday's forecast minimum is 2 degrees, and the day is expected to reach 15 degrees after some morning fog.
The temperatures on Saturday will drop, with a minimum of -1 expected followed by a maximum of 14.
Sunday will bring a chilly, windy and cloudy end to the weekend, with a maximum of 12 and a minimum of 2 expected.
And don't forget to bring an umbrella and your best puffer to work on Monday, as rain and a maximum of 11 is expected after a minimum of 1 degree.
Sara Garrity
Sara writes about general Canberra news. She has previously worked as the journalist at Allhomes, writing about property news through a Canberra lens. You can email story ideas or tips to Sara at sgarrity@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
Sara writes about general Canberra news. She has previously worked as the journalist at Allhomes, writing about property news through a Canberra lens. You can email story ideas or tips to Sara at sgarrity@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
