Central Otago shivers as winter’s chill bites
Wakatipu and Central Otago plumbers were rushed off their feet tending to burst and frozen pipes as the big freeze hit close to record lows of more than minus 11 degrees Celsius in places.
Masses of large ‘‘platter’’ sized chunks of floating ice have kept Shotover and Skippers Canyon jet boats off the water for three days.
Arrowtown shivered the most, plummeting to minus 11.5C just before dawn yesterday, followed closely by Ranfurly on minus 11.3C.
Queenstown’s early morning temperature, recorded at Frankton, was minus 7.5C, the fourth lowest July temperature recorded since 1871. Queenstown’s record low is minus 12.2C in July 1995.
Alexandra awoke to a bone chilling minus 8.9C, the second lowest July temperature on record. NIWA senior climate scientist Georgian Griffiths said Alexandra’s record July low was minus 11.7C in 1943.
MetService forecaster John Crouch said Ranfurly recorded minus 9C on Saturday morning and minus 10C on Sunday morning.
Ranfurly’s all-time July low of minus 25.6C was recorded in 1903 and its most recent recorded low was minus 14.5C in May 1988.
Plumbers received dozens of calls yesterday and expected more with freezing temperatures expected to continue throughout the week with a possible short break around Friday.
Ngai Tahu Tourism southern region jetboating manager Clark Scott said large chunks of ice ‘‘the size of food platters’’ had kept Shotover Jet off the water for several days.
Queenstown Rafting had not operated trips on the Shotover since June 29 because of the extreme cold, but was still operating trips on the Kawarau River.