And it seems to be in a hurry.

A cold front is forecast to hit Orange this weekend and residents should pull out those warm doonas and dust off the heaters because Orange is likely to experience almost freezing overnight temperatures, according to Weatherzone meteorologist Max Gonzales. 

It is also time to cover up frost-sensitive plants or put them inside because, from Saturday, Orange can expect an icy covering in the mornings. 

“There’ll be a cold front coming through late on Friday, which will bring about 10 to 20mm of rain and maybe 10 to 20mm on Saturday, but the showers will be clearing Saturday,” he said. 

“Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday will be the coolest mornings with clearer skies.

“Say goodbye to summer, winter has arrived.”

Mr Gonzales said he was not expecting to see temperatures similar to this week’s mild ones in Orange until spring. 

Saturday’s top is expected to reach just six degrees and on Sunday it will climb to eight degrees.  Minimums will hover around zero.

Mr Gonzales said the April weather was “very average” despite the warmer and drier summer. 

He said Orange’s average top temperature for April was 18.6 degrees,  which was only 0.1 degree warmer than usual, while the average low temperature was about 8.2 degrees, which was one degree warmer. 

Rain fell on 11 days  during April, three more than the average,  but rainfall was below the 51mm average at 40mm.