Antarctic Blast Hits New Zealand, Brings Spring Snow Across the Country

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An Antarctic blast across New Zealand (NZ) has brought snow flurries across large areas of the country in spring, including in Christchurch and Wellington.

The south of the country woke up to temperatures at near zero degrees Celsius, the coldest place being Te Anau at negative six degrees celsius.

Christchurch experienced its first snowfall in October in 53 years, according to NZ Herald.

Wanaka Airport also saw its temperature drop to negative three degrees at night, the coldest October minimum since records began recording in 1992.

As a result, several roads across the country have been closed, with the NZ Transport Agency issuing warnings for many others.

The Queenstown Lake District Council warned drivers of black ice on the roads and to reconsider the need to travel unless necessary.

“If you do need to travel, slow down. The roads are like skating rinks,” the council said in a post on Facebook.

The freezing spring temperatures come after New Zealand recorded its warmest winter on record, at a national average of 9.8 degrees, which was 1.2 degrees above average, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA).

Met Service, the national weather authority, said Friday morning was looking like another frosty start for many, but the temperature would slowly climb back over the weekend.

State Highway One leading into Dunedin, where snow is falling in Dunedin due to a cold front hitting the lower South Island in Dunedin, New Zealand, on Sept. 11, 2012. (Sandra Mu/Getty Images)

Transpower had been expecting a spike in electricity demand across the country as people turn on their heaters to keep warm.

Stephen Jays, the general manager of operations at Transpower, said the arrival of a cold front during the school holidays, when demand is usually lower, created uncertainty.

Additional uncertainty came from the wind forecasts, which would affect the output from wind turbines.

But longer daylight hours were expected to help mute demand.

Jays said they would closely monitor the weather and the supply and demand of power.

“The unique situation provides an ideal opportunity for us to meet with industry to discuss the challenges and remind participants of our processes for dealing with low residual situations,” he told Stuff news.