Antarctic cold snap sweeps New Zealand's South Island, shuts roads and schools

An intense cold snap originating from Antarctica has made its way across parts of New Zealand’s South Island, resulting in snowfall at sea level and dangerously low temperatures. The event has forced the closure of roads and the suspension of school activities. Dunedin, the second-largest city on the South Island, saw snow blanket its streets, prompting police to caution residents against unnecessary travel due to hazardous icy conditions. Reports of vehicle collisions have surfaced, though fortunately, no injuries have been reported.

Skiers and snowboarders have capitalized on the snowfall, navigating the steep Baldwin Street in Dunedin, which holds the title of the world’s steepest residential street. Meanwhile, snow has been spotted on the sands of Christchurch’s New Brighton Beach, an unusual sight given the rarity of such occurrences in the region, especially at sea level.

Public transportation has been significantly impacted; all bus services in Dunedin have been halted, and ferry services connecting New Zealand’s North and South islands have been suspended due to strong winds and heavy swells. MetService, New Zealand’s official weather forecasting agency, predicts the cold outbreak will continue for the next two days, with snow or sleet likely to reach near sea level across the eastern part of the South Island.

Thursday morning is expected to be the coldest of the year for many parts of the country, according to the forecaster.