A sense of giddy enthusiasm spread across the capital on Sunday as Canberrans basked in the sunshine of this year's warmest winter day.
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Off came the coats and scarves, and on went the shorts and sunglasses as residents and visitors alike made the most of the unseasonably warm August weather.
Bike and walking tracks around the lake were busier than they have been for months, as joggers and parents pushing prams jostled for space with segways, cyclists and pedal cars.
Diners gladly made use of outdoor seating as they lazed in the sun at cafes and restaurants as the city got its first glimpse of the warmer months to come.
The mercury hit a top of 17.7 degrees at 1.23pm, which made Sunday the warmest day in the ACT since the end of May.
That temperature is more than four degrees above the average of 13 degrees for this time of year.
Weatherzone meteorologist Drew Casper-Richardson warned the spring-like weather had only made a brief appearance and was not here to stay.
Temperatures were likely to remain above average for the next five days and would hover between 14 and 16 degrees.
However, a low pressure trough currently moving through Victoria was expected to reach the ACT on Monday, bringing a rainy start to the week.
"It's looking like there will be few more showers around this week, nothing too heavy," Mr Casper-Richardson said.
"Showers could start as early as Monday morning, when there could be as much as 10 to 15 millimetres of rain.
"That isn't a bad drop for August, which is traditionally a dry month for eastern Australia."
He predicted rainfall of five to 10 millimetres was most likely on Monday.
"It will also get a bit nippy, it's looking like it will get down to -1 on Monday morning.
"But that's about average for this time of year, the morning average is one degree."
While the weather was tipped to cool, the ACT would avoid freezing conditions in the next week, Mr Casper-Richardson said.
"There's a belt of high pressure which is stopping most of the cold fronts well south of Canberra.
"Some of them aren't even hitting Tasmania.
"While we've got that in place it's unlikely Canberra's going to get that really cold, wintry weather."
