Wimmera residents would be forgiven for wanting to stay in bed for five more minutes this morning as sub-zero temperatures started the day.
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The Bureau of Meteorology's weather station at the Horsham Aerodrome recorded a low of -2.8°C at 7.31am on Tuesday, August 15, with an apparent temperature of -5.6°C.
Apparent temperature is better known as the 'feels like' temperature.
The wind was low all night, leading to thick fog across the region, creating scenes reminiscent of Sleepy Hollow.
It has been a dry August, with only 4.8mm of rain recorded in Horsham.
August is traditionally the wettest month of the year in Horsham, with an average of 42mm recorded across the past 26 years.
Bureau of Meteorology senior climatologist Jonathan Pollock said the trend would continue into Spring, with indicators pointing to a dry few months.
"We're looking at a spring with below average rainfall for most of the eastern half of Australia," Mr Pollock said.
Mr Pollock said the high likelihood of an El Nino developing, along with the chance of a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), would result in a dry few months.
An El Nino event increases the risk of drought, heatwaves and bushfires.
Sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific Ocean exceed the thresholds needed for an El Nino event, but the atmosphere patterns point toward more neutral conditions.
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