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Melbourne's famous Spring Racing Carnival hit by unseasonably cold weather

Xinhua, October 22, 2016 Adjust font size:

Australian horse racing fans have been warned to rug up before heading out to watch the Cox Plate on Saturday, with temperatures in Melbourne not expected to climb above 13 degrees Celsius for the meet.

The Cox Plate is widely recognized as one of the biggest days on the Australian racing calendar, but Saturday's chilly forecast of just 12.9 degrees Celsius is expected to be the equal lowest ever recorded in the race's rich, 94-year history.

Meteorologists at the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) have reminded punters to pack umbrellas as well as extra layers, with falls of up to 15 millimeters also expected throughout the day, while hail and thunder may also hamper the celebrations.

The fresh conditions are just another chapter in Melbourne's, and Australia's, bizarre start to spring, the chilly, mid-July-like forecast is a far cry from the October average of 20 degrees Celsius, while the record high recorded in October was a scorching 37 degrees Celsius.

Senior forecaster from the BoM Scott Williams told the Australian Associated Press (AAP) on Saturday: "It will be the equal-coldest running of the Cox Plate in its history."

The only other time the mercury has failed to hit 13 degrees on Cox Plate day was in 1970.

Last week, Melbourne faced damaging winds and power outages, while rain caused significant damage to parts of the Great Ocean Road, a major tourist attraction just outside of the city.

Up to 2,500 homes have been without power across the week, while one woman died when a tree fell through her house. Enditem