Bathurst residents have enjoyed well above average temperatures this autumn, with some days up to 11 degrees warmer than average.

The hottest day during autumn was on March 9 when the mercury soared to 35.2 degrees, well above the long-term average maximum of 24.6.

Warm days continued into April with the hottest day reaching 30.2 degrees (the average is 20.1), while May’s warmest day was 23.2 (average 15.7).

Weatherzone meteorologist Jacob Cronje said this autumn was slow to cool, with the mercury staying above zero until May 19.

In previous autumns, Bathurst’s minimum temperature often dropped below zero from early April onward.

Despite several heavy frosts across the region since May 19, the mercury only dropped below zero three more times before the month ended.

The coldest was on Monday when it fell to a chilly minus 3.9 overnight.

Despite the chilly start to this week, that was far from Bathurst’s coldest temperature for May.

That honour goes to May 23, 2000, when the mercury fell to a 50-year low of minus 6.2 degrees.

“We’ve had some cold snaps with some below freezing temperatures for Bathurst,” Mr Cronje said.

Overall rainfall for autumn was slightly below average with 101.5 millimetres recorded in a season that usually receives 135.3mm.

April was the driest month, receiving just 20.4mm (average is 42.1mm)

There was 42mm of rain recorded during March (average is 51.7mm), and 39.1mm fell in May (average is 41.5mm).

Looking towards winter, Mr Cronje said above average temperatures are predicted to continue.

“Apart from the odd very cold snap, it looks like temperatures will stay slightly warmer than average,” he said.

“Towards the end of winter and into spring, we’ll have above average rain.

“It’s looking increasingly like a La Nina towards the end of winter and into spring.”

Last month the Bureau of Meteorology officially declared the El Nino weather pattern over, and agreed that a La Nina was lurking in the wings.