THE Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed what Orange residents already know after spending their summer hiding under umbrellas.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Orange has just experienced its coldest summer in 40 years.
The mercury failed to reach 30 degrees the entire season as temperatures hovered at a cool average of 22 degrees.
Orange residents have not shivered this much in December, January and February since the summer of 1971/72, when the average temperature for the season was 21.5 degrees.
This was also the last time summer temperatures in Orange failed to break 30 degrees.
“They have both been La Nina summers,” Bureau of Meterology climatologist Acacia Pepler said.
Orange experienced its last La Nina summer only a year ago during the summer of 2010/11.
While that summer had six fewer wet days, it produced a lot more rain.
“We had 327.2 mm of rain this summer at Orange Airport, but 404mm in the summer of 2010/11.
“That’s because December 2010 was so wet, we saw 319.2mm of rain in December 2010.”
The BOM predicts the rain will continue into autumn, with a 60 per cent prediction of above average rainfall.
The current La Nina is showing signs of breaking down and conditions are expected to return to normal by winter.
