Pack your thermals

Snow and more cold set to sweep over country
13.05.06
By Anne Beston

Mt Ruapehu was coated by snow yesterday as the North Island got its first taste of winter. A slow-moving low-pressure system also brought a chilly and wet southerly flow to the South Island from midnight yesterday, with surface flooding in Christchurch after 67mm of rain fell about the hills.

Aucklanders shivered in blustery winds and squally showers, but ski staff were rubbing their hands with glee rather than from the cold. 'It looks like the season opening will be a real good one,' said Ruapehu Alpine Lifts marketing man Mike Smith.

Snow fell heavily for most of the day after heavy falls overnight, the winter's first big dump of the season. Staff estimated at least 50cm of snow on the upper slopes and 20cm at the base of the mountain.

Mr Smith said snowmakers would begin work next week for the season opening on June 16. Last year, the first big fall was in early June, he said, but it wasn't possible to bring this year's season forward because 700 staff, some from overseas, had to arrive first.

Temperatures in Auckland were a relatively mild 14C, but it felt much chillier. 'With lots of showers and wind around and no sun, it feels a lot colder,' said MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam. Gales were reported on the Kaikoura coast and Cook Strait, and strong winds in the Hauraki Gulf cancelled ferry company Kawau Kat's Coromandel sailing.

Rivers rose swiftly and streets were flooded in Christchurch in the morning, but a low tide meant no serious incidents, said Christchurch City Council spokesman Bryn Somerville.

Mr Bellam said the low had moved east towards the Chatham Islands by yesterday afternoon, and today a slim ridge of high pressure would briefly make its presence felt until things deteriorated again.

Tomorrow morning a fast cold front is forecast to sweep up the country, arriving near Auckland by afternoon and bringing a cold southwesterly change with more showers and cold, unsettled weather, he said. Snow could fall to 600m in the South Island.

Mr Bellam said a high-pressure system in the Tasman Sea was not expected to reach New Zealand until next week.

When it's so summery here, I forget that it's winter down under. Keep warm, y'all.

Cold snap hits the country
15 May 2006

Snow fell over the country yesterday for the first time this winter, closing roads and causing traffic delays. Temperatures in the south only just made double digits as the southerly raced up the country.

Snow closed the Desert Road overnight, with traffic diverted through the National Park. The road reopened this morning, but Transit advised drivers to take extreme care in the cold conditions.

Christchurch's temperature reached just below 10degC after the arrival of the southerly between 9am and 10am yesterday. In Queenstown, the mercury could only manage 8degC.

Yesterday, snow closed State Highway 8 between Fairlie and Twizel, stranding several vehicles in heavy snowdrifts. Snow fell on SH8 between Omarama and Tarras and SH94 between Te Anau and Milford. Chains were required on both roads.

The MetService has also issued a heavy snow warning for Hawke's Bay and Gisborne. More snow is expected to fall on the Desert Road through until tomorrow morning, and some heavy falls could also affect the ranges between Hawke's Bay and Gisborne. Up to 15cm is forecast above 800m, MetService said.

The eastern coast of the North Island should also brace itself for gale-force winds. The winds are expected to hit exposed parts of the coast from Cape Palliser, at the southern tip of the North Island, to Tolaga Bay, north of Gisborne.

the natives are manking here about it being so bloody cold..

it's not proper cold I don't think.
it's chilly for sure, but when there are still kids walking to school in bare feet and shorts, I don't count that as cold.

thermals are a good idea.. it does get chilly on a night..
Postie+ or Farmers have some good bargains on the thermal front..

it's not proper cold I don't think.
it's chilly for sure, but when there are still kids walking to school in bare feet and shorts, I don't count that as cold.

Yes, but you?re a hardy Scot. You?re used to icicles hanging off your nose. I?ve heard that the kids go to school all year round in shorts and bare feet regardless of the temperature in NZ. They?re probably hardy little souls as well and have been brought up to it. I think I?ll opt for the thermals and play safe. If the natives are commenting on the cold, then it must be pretty uncomfortable.

Wish we had enough active members in NZ to start a thread on heating options in homes. We?ve got a log burner but it?s sited at one end of the house, so won?t be effective elsewhere. Wondering what the best option is for heating the rest of the house.

How's the house hunting going?

Taffy/Welshgirl, this is supposedly a picture taken this morning in Ngaruawahia to celebrate Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu's 40 years as the head of Kingitanga (whatever that is). ?Is it REALLY that cold already that frosty breath is coming from the gathered Maoris? ?Somehow I don?t think my thermals will be enough. ? ?

Hmm, have to admit there have been a few frosty breath mornings here lately, though only one or two. Having said that, we're not even into winter yet :icon_eek: . I, like you, am an early riser but by about 9am the 'frosty breath syndrome' disappears. The day started out like that today actually and turned out to be glorious once the sun worked off the chill. Mind you, there has been a biting wind taking Rachael to school in the mornings - enough that I had to dig my scarf out yesterday!
Funnily enough, I don't remember it being this cold this time last year, so maybe this isn't the norm..... then again, maybe last year was a particularly warm autumn and this IS the norm!

I saw the Maori gathering for the celebration - the Marae is on the route to somewhere I wanted to go today (River Road, as mentioned in your link story), but they'd closed the road (understandably, judging by the amount of people gathered there) so I had to take a detour.

Incidentally, Kingitanga basically means 'The Maori King Movement' and is defined as:

The Kingitanga Movement was a product of the perceived need by many Maori to counter the alienation by settlers' of Maori land and also a perceived need for Maori unity.

Scarf??!! ?If you needed a scarf, then it MUST be cold. ?Gawd, it?s really going to be a shock to the old system then. ?Really going to be talking electric blankets, alternative means of heating, more insulation and double-glazed thermals. ?Will have to get hubster a job on Sakhalin Island (near Russia/Japan) so we can acclimatise. ?Could always keep cows and have them in the house. ?All that hot breath and cow farts/burps should heat the place up a treat ? [smilie=Sick.gif] . ?

From what I?ve read, it seems like last winter was unusually warm, so looks like this is what you normally get. ?I?d hoped warmer winters were going to be a continuing trend, but doesn?t appear so. ?

Waaah! ? ?Don?t like it.

MB, it is just a cold snap. Now and again the wind comes from the south and temperatures dip a bit. Nothing like in the UK.

I should imagine that photo was taken at dawn ... maybe some Maori ceremonial thing. It can get chilly at night but the weather the last couple of days has been nice, warm and sunny around 17 degrees for the NI (we up here had 19 yesterday).

If you really feel the cold, and have the financial resources, how about a holiday home across the Tasman in northern Queensland? They have great weather during the NZ winter. 8-)

:)

Agree there Glenda - never seem to get that bone-chilling cold you get in the UK, so guess I shouldn't complain!

I don't know what time the Maori ceremony started but was quite possibly very early. I came across it about midday and it was probably well underway by then, so the photo was likely taken very early morning, like you say.

Anyway, after a misty start today, the sun has broken through and it looks like we're in for another glorious day - oh the joys of living in New Zealand ? [smiley=038.gif][smilie=aiwebs_011.gif] ? [smilie=Yahoo!.gif]