New Zealand has experienced a dramatic drop in temperatures as an Antarctic cold snap sweeps the country, delighting the capital, Wellington, which saw snow for the first time in 15 years, and giving residents of a southern city the chance to ski through the streets, reports infohub.kz.
On Tuesday, much of the country woke to freezing conditions, frost, snow, hail, and biting winds. Three locations in the South Island recorded temperatures as low as -9°C. Some highways were closed, while parts of the North Island's east coast experienced thick hail storms.
In Wellington, a mix of sleet and snow fell to sea level just after midday on Tuesday, marking the first such occurrence in 11 years. Office workers rushed out of their buildings to stand in the flurries, and residents took to social media to share their excitement. One user called it a "winter wonderland," while another wrote, "Snow in Wellington?! Amazing! What a way to turn a day around." On Reddit, someone commented, "I went to my office window and every window in the building opposite was filled with people watching too."
In Dunedin, the South Island's second-largest city, snow blanketed the streets, leading to students being sent home. Local media showed residents snowboarding down city streets, with one daring skier tackling Baldwin Street, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's steepest street. One social media user noted, "The thing I love about Dunedin is you get half an inch of snow maybe twice a year and everyone loses their minds."
Further north, Christchurch's New Brighton Beach was dusted with snow, and a plane had to abort its landing at Christchurch International Airport due to wind and rain. Police responded to multiple incidents of cars sliding off icy roads and urged the public to avoid travel.
Metservice, New Zealand's weather bureau, said temperatures would warm on Wednesday but plunge again overnight, with Thursday likely to be the coldest morning of the year in parts of the country. Transpower, the national grid operator, reported record-high electricity use during Wednesday morning's peak and warned of a potential energy shortfall on Friday morning.