Cool mornings forecast for southern Queensland as temperatures dip

Crisp mornings are settling over southern Queensland, bringing much-needed frost and single-digit temperatures that farmers say are crucial for a successful harvest. David McMahon, an apple and pear grower in Pozieres, explained that his crops require approximately 800 hours of temperatures below 8 degrees Celsius during winter to ensure quality.

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Pozieres farmer David McMahon said his apple and pear crops, about 200 kilometres west of Brisbane near the Queensland border, needed about 800 hours of temperatures below 8 degrees Celsius in winter to ensure a good harvest.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Felim Hanniffy confirmed that the Granite Belt and Carnarvon areas could see temperatures as low as 1C or 2C, with a possibility of patchy frost before reaching a daytime high of 16C in Stanthorpe. Oakey, north of Toowoomba, recorded a chilly -0.5C. "We still have some cool mornings to come during Wednesday and Thursday through parts of the particularly the southern interior," Hanniffy said, adding that most areas would experience overnight minimums near or above average for the remainder of the week.

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We still have some cool mornings to come during Wednesday and Thursday through parts of the particularly the southern interior.

McMahon expressed relief after a "very mild" start to winter, noting the importance of these chill hours to trigger the trees' cycle for the following year. "It has been a slow start to the winter," he said, expressing hope for a natural return to normal conditions. Meanwhile, residents in Toowoomba, expecting a 17C high, were seen bundling up against the morning chill, with one resident admitting she still forgets her warmer coat after moving from the Gold Coast.

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By this time of the year we'd be expecting a lot more heavy frosts and extended periods of cold weather.

Elsewhere in the state, blustery southerly and south-easterly winds are expected to bring coastal showers, particularly along the north tropical coast. Localised rainfall of 20 to 40 millimetres is possible. The bureau is also monitoring a system that could bring colder mornings to southern Queensland early next week.

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It's very important that we get [those chill hours] that just triggers [apples, pears and blackberries] back into their cycle into next year.