Australia: Big chill here to stay

YOU'RE right -- it has been cold. The Gold Coast is now heading for its coldest winter in more than two decades.

Nearly every day this month, both the maximum and minimum temperatures, have been well below average.
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At the Gold Coast Seaway, the average morning temperature has been 7C when the usual monthly average is 9.8C.

Coolangatta has been even colder.

The average minimum temperature this month has been just 4.9C, while the long-term average is normally 10.6C.

But many days have been far colder.

The Gold Coast Seaway cracked a record minimum temperature on August 10 when it dropped to 4.2C, almost six degrees below average. The previous record minimum was 4.3C.

Coolangatta then posted a record minimum temperature of 1C two days later on August 12, more than nine degrees below average. Its previous record minimum was 2.4C.

"That is the coldest it has been in 23 years," said climate services regional manager Tamika Tihema.

"It is much colder this month than normal."