New Zealand capital delights in rare snowfall as southern city residents ski down world’s steepest street
Snow falls in Wellington for the first time in 15 years while snow blanketed Dunedin and Christchurch on the country’s south island Temperatures have plummeted across New Zealand as an Antarctic cold snap hovers over the country, delighting the capital, Wellington, which experienced snow for the first time in 15 years, while giving a southern city’s residents a chance to ski through the streets.…
New Zealand experienced a rare snowfall in its capital, Wellington, for the first time in 15 years while southern cities enjoyed the opportunity to ski down steep streets. The icy conditions resulted from an Antarctic cold snap that swept across the country, leaving temperatures plummeting and roads slippery. Wellington witnessed snow just after midday on Tuesday, delighting residents who rushed to capture the scene on social media.
The city's office workers were seen standing in the snow, while others marveled at the sight, dubbing it a "winter wonderland." In Dunedin, the second-largest city on the South Island, students were sent home from school, and snowboarders took advantage of the rare event to snowboard down Baldwin Street, recognized by the Guinness World Records as the world's steepest street.
Christchurch's New Brighton Beach was also covered in snow, leading to a plane aborting its landing due to adverse weather conditions. The city's police urged the public to avoid travel due to icy roads. However, temperatures were expected to rise on Wednesday but would plunge again overnight, with Thursday predicted to be the coldest morning of the year in some parts of New Zealand.
The weather also caused a surge in electricity use, with Transpower, the national grid operator, warning of a potential energy shortfall on Friday morning.
Written by urgent.news from The Guardian's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.
