Cold snap covers parts of New Zealand in snow
Parts of New Zealand awoke to a winter landscape on Tuesday as snow covered hills and higher ground across parts of the South Island, while a cold southerly swept through much of the country, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Dunedin was blanketed in snow, and Christchurch’s Port Hills turned white as the weather system brought wintry showers, hail and strong icy winds.
Wellington and several other regions also experienced cold, unsettled conditions.
New Zealand’s weather service warned that temperatures were expected to fall further overnight, increasing the likelihood of widespread severe frosts and black ice on roads.
🐧 Our cold Antarctic visitor is set to hang around 🐧
— MetService NZ (@MetService) August 4, 2026
🧊 The polar air that has blanketed the country isn't going anywhere fast. Expect widespread severe frosts and possible black ice.
❄️ Even Northland could see frost, Whangarei is forecast to reach 0°C pic.twitter.com/3eh9UR3pI5
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that El Niño was expected to intensify from August to October 2026, bringing above-normal temperatures across much of the world and significant shifts in rainfall patterns.
