Auckland's coldest day in five years as cold snap bites

New Zealand is experiencing a severe cold snap, with several regions recording their lowest temperatures in years. The extreme weather has led to record-breaking electricity usage and localized traffic disruptions due to ice and snow.
Why it matters
Extreme weather events impact national infrastructure and public safety, highlighting the strain on energy grids during climate anomalies.
<p>Taumarunui has recorded its second coldest temperature since records began there in 2007, as a cold snap that has gripped the country for days pushed temperatures to some of their lowest levels in years this morning.</p> <p>MetService said the mercury had plummeted across the country, with many places recording their coldest temperature of the year. Auckland recorded its coldest temperature since 2021, while Mount Cook Airport was the coldest place in the country, dropping to –10C.</p> <p>MetService meteorologist Braydon White told 1News that Taumaranui fell to –6.4C at 8am — its second coldest temperature on record, and "close to the record, but not quite". </p> <p>The coldest temperature recorded in Taumaranui since records began in 2007 was –6.8C, in 2010.</p> <p>Auckland Airport recorded 1.5C this morning, its coldest since June 30, 2021, when it recorded 1.3C.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in