Temperature hits record low

Broome ground level temperatures dropped to a chilly 3C earlier this month - a new record low for the month of May.

The gauges plummeted on Saturday, May 16, registering the lowest ground level temperature since Bureau of Meteorology monitoring began being recorded in 1939.

The figure beats the previous May ground level record of 5C from the same month in 2012.

Official temperatures are recorded at 1.2m above ground level, with a previous record at this setting also being equalled.

On the same morning, a temperature of 7.7C was also recorded at 1.2m above ground, which equals the minimum temperature for May from three years ago.

The record minimum temperature in Broome at 1.2m for any month was recorded on July 21, 1965, dropping to 3.3C.

The lowest ever ground level temperature in Broome was recorded on July 8, 1989, with the gauges dropping to almost freezing at 0.5C.

BOM weather observer Rob van Leeuwen said this month's drop in temperature was the result of a knock-on effect.

"A strong high pressure system in the Great Australian Bight generated strong easterly winds over northern parts of the continent, bringing cold air from central Australia into the Kimberley," he said.

Mr Van Leeuwen also confirmed Broome's wet season heralded less than the usual average rainfall, with sunny climes ahead for the dry season.