Desert Road reaches -10C as bitterly cold mornings continue
New Zealand is experiencing a severe cold snap, with several cities recording record-low temperatures, including a -10C reading at Desert Road. Meteorologists expect the freezing conditions to ease by early next week as a frontal system brings warmer air.
Why it matters
Extreme weather events impact public safety, infrastructure, and daily life, necessitating accurate meteorological reporting.
Several cities have recorded their coldest night this year as the cold snap continues to hit the country, while Timaru has recorded its coldest temperature in 28 years.
Rotorua has seen its lowest temperature this year - and for August since 2006 - at -4.4C, and so have Napier and Hastings at -2.6C.
Napier's temperature is the coldest for August, also since 2006.
Timaru recorded -6.1C - the coldest morning it's had since 1998.
MetService earlier told RNZ it was the coldest morning in 46 years, since 1980.
Desert Road was -10C, the coldest place across the country overnight, with MetService saying there is lots of frost on the road, and the possibility of black ice.
Auckland recorded -2C at Whenuapai Airport.
Temperatures are expected to lift over the next few days, MetService said.
The recent cold patch is almost over - but not quite.
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