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National

Temperatures to drop across Queensland before warmer, drier winter begins

Some areas in the Toowoomba region had their coldest May day on record earlier this month. (ABC Southern Qld: Arlie Felton-Taylor)

Queenslanders have shivered through one of the coldest May months on record and despite predictions of a warmer-than-average winter, don't chuck out the jumpers just yet. 

The Bureau of Meteorology has warned a cold front pushing up from Tasmania will drop temperatures again this weekend.

Oakey, near Toowoomba, recorded its coldest May day on record two weeks ago when the mercury dropped to -5 degrees Celsius and that is expected to drop to a low of -1C across Sunday and Monday.

The mercury is predicted to drop to 0C in Stanthorpe, and 2C in Toowoomba and Ipswich.

It will be slightly warmer along the coast, with Surfers Paradise dropping to 9C, Maroochydore 7C, Brisbane 8C, and Logan 5C.

But forecaster Brook Pagel said this cold snap was not a wider sign of things to come when winter officially begins next week.

"At this stage, it's looking like a warmer-than-average winter," Ms Pagel said.

"This cold snap is quite different to what we might see throughout winter, particularly throughout June.

"Temperatures are expected to be about average, even a little bit above average temperatures and that's both for that minimum and maximum.

"It's going to be a little bit of a funny winter by the looks of it."

Winter also drier

Tim Cowan, a senior research fellow at the University of Southern Queensland's Centre for Applied Climate Sciences, said it was also expected to be a drier winter in some parts.

"It's looking like it could be slightly drier than normal in the western and southern parts of Queensland, but towards the Cape, up in the north east, it's more likely to be slightly wetter than normal. It's a bit of a mixed bag," Dr Cowan said.

Temperatures are expected to reach 0C in Stanthorpe this weekend. (Supplied: Grace Preston)

"We're currently on an El Niño watch, which means there is about a 50 per cent chance of El Niño forming by the winter and into spring.

"That typically means for Queensland you get a drier winter and spring and warmer daytime temperatures."

But he said those warmer temperatures would potentially only be 1C or 2C warmer than average.

"It's still winter. You still need jumpers and still need to rug up," he said.

"Just in general there'll be slightly warmer day-time and night-time temperatures.

"If we do have an El Niño form, that does increase the risk of overnight frosts in parts of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, so that's something to keep an eye out for as well."

Autumn leaves have been falling from trees in Crows Nest, north of Toowoomba. (Supplied: Lyn Wetzig Photographics)

He said those drier conditions, on the back of three La Niña years, which increased vegetation, meant there could also be an increased bushfire risk this coming fire season.

"It does increase the likelihood of dry conditions in the springtime and leading into summer, increasing that fire risk," Dr Cowan said.

"It's something to be aware of."

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