At 6.46am this morning in Tuggeranong, the mercury dropped to an icy minimum of -6.1°C, well below the July average of -0.1°C.

The weather was a little more balmy at the airport, bottoming out at -5.8°C at 6.40am.

The coldest overnight low we’ve had this year was recorded two weeks ago on Friday June 20 at a chilly -6.3°C.

The lowest temperature on record for July is -10°C, recorded in 1971 on July 11.

Minimum temperatures in Canberra are forecast to remain below zero into next week.

Check out Canberra's seven day forecast.

The forecast minimum for Canberra tomorrow is -4°C with frost expected and temperatures are forecast to get down to -5°C on Saturday.

But it's not all bad news according to Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Ryan White, who said afternoon temperatures will be quite the contrast.

"Canberrans will have to be prepared to scrape ice off their windscreens in the mornings... but the afternoons should be extremely pleasant," he said.

Mr White said the rest of the week will bring clear days and sunny weather, with maximum temperatures of up to 14°C - at least three degrees above the average July maximum.

He said a strong slow-moving high pressure system near the Great Australian Bight is currently directing very light, dry southeasterly winds across Canberra.

These dry winds are primarily the cause of Canberra's cool evenings, as dry air cools more quickly than air with a greater moisture content leading to a drop in temperature in the evenings.

Mostly sunny weather is predicted for today, with a maximum temperature of 12°C.