25 July 2011

On 25 July 2011, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 was gripped by its coldest winter snap in 15 years. This severe winter storm was forecast well, with forecasters warning of the potential of heavy snow down to sea level in south and east of South Island

South Island

The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...

 and to low levels in North Island

North Island

The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...

. This snowstorm was especially threatening as it was the school holidays, and many people were travelling.
Up to 30 cm of snow was recorded in parts of Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

, the heaviest recorded there in 16 years.

14 August 2011

A few days prior to this date, forecasters were warning of a severe snowstorm heading for New Zealand, even going as far as calling it the "perfect snowstorm". Snow fell consistently down to sea level in Wellington

Wellington

Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...

 for the first time since the 1970, and snow even fell for a brief time in Auckland

Auckland

The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

 for the first time in 80 years.

Much of the South Island was heavily blanketed, with schools closed in Queenstown

Queenstown

Queenstown is the name of several places in the world including:*Queenstown, Blackpool, Lancashire, United Kingdom*Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa*Queenstown, Maryland, United States*Queenstown, New Zealand, a resort town in Otago, New Zealand...

, Dunedin

Dunedin

Dunedin is the second-largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the principal city of the Otago Region. It is considered to be one of the four main urban centres of New Zealand for historic, cultural, and geographic reasons. Dunedin was the largest city by territorial land area until...

, and Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

. The heavy snow also disrupted flights in and out of these centres, and also in and out of Wellington

Wellington

Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...

. Schools were also closed there due to the snow.
Power was also lost to around 4000 homes in South Taranaki, Manawatu, Whanganui and Wairarapa.