Coastal capital of the southeastern Australian state of Victoria - Melbourne (population 4.8 million) - has recorded its coldest start to June since 1982, according to data provided by Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM). Officials blame a pattern of weather that has not been recorded since the first week of winter in 36 years.

The city recorded an average low of 3.9 °C (39 °F) in the first days of June, marking the coldest start to winter in 36 years. "We've just had a high pressure system sitting pretty broadly over Victoria and southeastern Australia and that's led to generally clear and cold nights," BOM forecasters Matt Michael said.

"When the wind is low it causes clear, still nights which allows the lowest layers of the atmosphere to cool down a lot meaning we are getting those really cold mornings," senior forecaster Peter Newham said.

Much of Melbourne began Wednesday blanketed in thick fog, with the worst of it in the Geelong area. Visibility was down to about 200 m (650 feet) at Avalon Airport, causing some flight delays and cancellations.

Patchy fog around the south eastern suburbs this morning - clearing to blue skies today. A chilly one tomorrow morning, with a chance of frost and early fogs around the #Melbourne area - see latest forecasts: https://t.co/qW9mJsw6T7 pic.twitter.com/DfdYtHZryx — Bureau of Meteorology, Victoria (@BOM_Vic) June 4, 2018

The maximum temperature ever recorded in Melbourne was 46.4 °C (115.5 °F) in 2009, and the minimum was -2.8 °C (29.9 °F) in 1869.

Featured image: Melbourne skyline on the morning of June 4, 2018. Credit: @windjunnky