Another day in the deep freeze
Parts of the central South Island spent another night in the deep freeze, with the Mackenzie Basin township of Omarama plunging to -18.6 degrees Celsius.
MetService said the temperature at Pukaki fell to -15.7C overnight on Wednesday, after having dropped to -19.8C on Tuesday morning, while the temperature at Mt Cook airfield fell to -12.5C overnight.
Parts of Central Otago were also well below freezing early yesterday, with Alexandra down to -8C and Queenstown showing -6C.
The cold temperatures have contributed to a surge in Dunedin Hospital admissions for broken bones this week.
Christchurch was easily the coldest of the major centres, recording -4C.
Data from Niwa show the -18.6C at Omarama early on Thursday was the 7th-equal coldest temperature recorded in New Zealand, but the worst of the cold weather now looked to be behind us.
The NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) was urging caution on several South Island routes because of the risks posed by ice or snow.
Data from Niwa show the -18.6C at Omarama early yesterday was the 7th-equal coldest temperature recorded in New Zealand, but the worst of the cold weather now looked to be behind us.
MetService meteorologist Karl Loots said there was a general warming trend expected for the next few days.
"One thing that is going to warm it up quite significantly, it is going to start to get a bit windier," he said.
"While tonight we’re still going to expect negative temperatures for the Canterbury high country, it’s not going to be nearly as cold,’’ Loots said.
MetService was predicting a sunny day for all the South Island, except Fiordland, although there could be areas of persistent fog in a few inland valleys and basins.