COLD, wet and cloudy weather returned yesterday but not before Daily Telegraph photographer John Grainger captured this spectacular photo of a Virgin Blue jet cruising past a rainbow's vivid bands of orange and red.

Weather Channel meteorologist Dick Whitaker said showers were expected to continue until Friday, boosting soil moisture levels and farmers' hopes of a good winter crop.

Temperatures are forecast to dip to a minimum of 9C in the CBD and 4C in the west today.

Originally published as A colourful flight of fantasy