Liawenee, Tasmania, -9.0°C, only 2.2°C from All-time June Record!

Tasmania has plunged into the depths of winter with one of its coldest mornings of the year, as temperatures tumbled well below freezing across much of the island state on Monday morning. The alpine town of Liawenee recorded a bone-chilling –9.0°C at 7:30 am, coming within just 2.2°C of the all-time June record low for the site.

Liawenee: Coldest Place in Australia Strikes Again

Known as Australia’s coldest town, Liawenee once again lived up to its reputation. The reading of –9.0°C is one of the coldest in the country this winter and underscores the harsh conditions gripping Tasmania’s Central Plateau.

Statewide Chill Grips Tasmania

The freezing air extended across the Central Plateau and Midlands, with numerous locations reporting sub-zero temperatures before dawn:

Ouse (Upper Derwent Valley): –5.4°C
Bushy Park: –4.3°C
Tunnack: –3.7°C
Several other inland towns dipped below –3°C

Frosty Conditions in Hobart and Launceston

Tasmania’s main urban centers weren’t spared from the winter blast:

Hobart’s Mt Wellington fell to –4.0°C just after midnight
Hobart city saw 2.1°C at 7:25 am
Hobart Airport bottomed out at 1.9°C
Launceston recorded a crisp 2.3°C, while Launceston Airport dipped just below freezing to –0.1°C

Western and Eastern Tasmania: Milder but Still Cold

Mount Read in the west managed 1.4°C, while Strahan reached 1.0°C
On the east coast, conditions were slightly milder:
- St Helens peaked at 3.8°C
- Friendly Beaches reached 1.6°C

A Classic Tasmanian Winter

This bitter cold snap is typical of Tasmania’s June-July winter pattern, especially when clear skies and light winds allow for strong overnight radiative cooling. Liawenee’s proximity to the Central Highlands often makes it the epicenter of such cold events.

As winter deepens, meteorologists warn of more frigid mornings to come, especially if dry air persists over the highlands. While no all-time records fell, the –9.0°C at Liawenee is a stark reminder that Australia’s southernmost state can rival even the coldest parts of the mainland.

Source: https://pulsetasmania.com.au/news/9-degrees-tasmania-shivers-through-freezing-morning/