An intense Antarctic cold snap has plunged New Zealand into freezing conditions, bringing rare snowfall to the capital city of Wellington for the first time in 15 years and prompting South Island residents to ski through city streets. The severe weather front, which arrived on Tuesday, has caused widespread disruptions, record-breaking power demands, and highway closures across the country.
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. The unusual event delighted locals, prompting office workers to rush outside and watch the flurries. On social media, residents shared their excitement, with one user describing the capital as a "winter wonderland" and another writing, "Snow in Wellington?! Amazing! What a way to turn a day around." A Reddit user noted the wholesome atmosphere, sharing, "I went to my office window and every window in the building opposite was filled with people watching too."
Further south, the city of Dunedin was blanketed in snow, leading schools to send students home early on Tuesday. Local residents quickly took advantage of the conditions, with video footage showing people snowboarding down streets. One adventurous skier was filmed gliding down Baldwin Street, which is recognized by Guinness World Records as the steepest street in the world. A Dunedin resident commented on social media, "The thing I love about Dunedin is you get half an inch of snow maybe twice a year and everyone loses their minds."
The cold snap also brought a dusting of snow to New Brighton Beach in Christchurch, where wind and rain forced an incoming flight to abort its landing at Christchurch International Airport. On Wednesday morning, three locations on the South Island recorded temperatures as low as -9C, while parts of the North Island's east coast experienced heavy hail storms.
The extreme weather has put significant strain on the country's infrastructure. National grid operator Transpower reported its highest-ever electricity consumption during Wednesday morning's peak period and warned of a potential energy shortfall on Friday morning. Meanwhile, police responded to numerous incidents of vehicles sliding off icy roads, prompting authorities to urge the public to avoid unnecessary travel and closing several key highways.
According to New Zealand's weather bureau, Metservice, temperatures were expected to rise slightly on Wednesday before plunging once again overnight. Forecasters warned that Thursday morning is likely to be the coldest of the year so far for several parts of the country.
