Week's weather typical of the season

More typical summer and winter conditions have been seen in the respective cities of Sydney and Jyväskylä this week. After temperatures dropped in Jyväskylä on Monday they have remained below -10C, while in Sydney Tuesday through to today have seen maximums between 27C and 32C at the Airport.

The temperature at Jyväskylä Airport on Monday was as high as -2.2C, but by the evening it had dipped 17.6C to -19.8C. This was the highest difference between minimum and maximum since the same figure was recorded on September 17 last year. Tuesday went even colder, down to -23.6C, and that has held as the coldest temperature of the week. Wednesday January 21 also saw a minimum below -20C, while both Tuesday and Wednesday coincidentally reached -14.1C during the day.

Skies were clear initially at the beginning of the week and some sun shone as well, but clouds have covered Central Finland since Wednesday evening. No snow fell from Monday until this morning, but colder temperatures and no wind helped frost settle on trees and buildings. Light snow fell this morning and further precipitation was recorded during the day, but only 1.9mm was recorded at Tikkakoski.

The lack of wind this week also created an inversion effect around the city area of Jyväskylä, reducing air quality. Inversion occurs when air closer to the ground is colder than the air above it. Without wind or a change in temperature, the air and associated pollutants from cars and factories can't escape upwards and it remains close to the ground, resulting in poor air quality. The local newspaper, Keski-Suomalainen, reported on the event on Wednesday.

Taulumäki in Jyväskylä during the afternoon of January 23

Sydney Airport recorded its second coolest day of January on Monday, but temperatures climbed nicely on Tuesday. A few showers drifted through the city in the early hours of the morning, contributing 3.8mm to the monthly total, and cloud cover was above average throughout the day, but it was still rather warm. It reached 27.1C at the Airport in the afternoon.

January 21 and 22 were a little warmer still, climbing above 29C, and today saw the month's ninth day above 30C by getting to 31.7C. Despite the warmer temperatures on the 21st, early rain dumped 13.6mm at the Airport. This is the second highest daily total of the month so far.

Ambitions to record the highest average minimum on record for a January at Sydney Airport were given a boost yesterday and today. It only went as low as 22.3C yesterday, and 23.4C today. That was after Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday all recorded minimums below 20C. The average now sits at 21.2C with just over a week of January remaining.