New Zealand is heading into a warmer and wetter weekend after an exceptional cold snap brought snow, severe frosts and record-breaking minimum temperatures.
Taumarunui and Rotorua both recorded their lowest temperatures since local observations began, while several other North Island communities set new records for August.
The sudden freeze followed New Zealand’s 12th-warmest July on record, highlighting a dramatic change in weather patterns within little more than a week.
New Zealand in August pic.twitter.com/EXocTyjoGC
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Taumarunui and Rotorua break all-time records
Taumarunui fell to -7.2°C (19°F), its lowest temperature on record. Rotorua reached -5.6°C (21.9°F), breaking its previous record of -5.2°C (22.6°F) in a series extending back to 1972.
Taupō recorded its lowest August temperature at -6.6°C (20.1°F). Palmerston North also established a new August record of -3.5°C (25.7°F), while Whangārei fell to 0.4°C (32.7°F).
Several other communities came close to their existing records. Auckland recorded 1.4°C (34.5°F), its third-lowest August temperature, while Hamilton’s -4.6°C (23.7°F) was also its third-lowest.
Napier reached -3.2°C (26.2°F), its second-lowest August observation. Whakatāne equalled its August record at -3°C (26.6°F).
Temperatures reached approximately -10°C (14°F) around Desert Road and Mount Cook Airport during the coldest part of the outbreak.
Credit: RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Snow and sleet also reached unusually low elevations earlier in the week, including parts of Wellington. Icy roads contributed to dangerous travel conditions, particularly during the early morning.
What caused the exceptional cold?
A cold air mass moved across New Zealand behind a southerly weather system, lowering temperatures across both islands.
The most severe frosts developed where skies cleared and winds became light. Without clouds acting as a blanket, heat stored near the surface during the day escaped rapidly into the atmosphere overnight.
The North Island experienced particularly clear conditions on Thursday night and Friday morning, allowing temperatures to fall more sharply than in parts of the South Island, where approaching cloud limited overnight cooling.
The absence of wind also allowed dense cold air to settle in valleys and other sheltered inland locations. This contributed to the exceptional lows in places such as Taumarunui, Rotorua and Taupō.
July was New Zealand’s 12th-warmest
The freezing start to August followed an unusually warm July.
Earth Sciences New Zealand calculated a nationwide average temperature of 8.9°C (48°F), which was 0.8°C (1.4°F) above the 1991–2020 July average.
This made July 2026 the country’s 12th-warmest July since the national seven-station temperature series began in 1909.
Most of the South Island experienced above-average or well-above-average temperatures. Fiordland, Arthur’s Pass and Greymouth recorded monthly means at least 2°C (3.6°F) above normal.
Five locations along the western South Island experienced their warmest July on record, including Greymouth and Milford Sound.
Rainfall also showed a sharp contrast between the islands. Much of the South Island was wetter than normal, while most of the North Island received below-normal or well-below-normal rainfall.
Dunedin Airport recorded 176 mm (6.9 inches), equivalent to 445 per cent of its normal July rainfall. Oamaru received more than three times its usual total.
Warmer but wetter weekend ahead
Northerly winds are now replacing the cold southerly flow, bringing more cloud, milder temperatures and rain.
A heavy rain watch is in effect for northern and eastern Northland, where periods of heavy rain are possible through Sunday evening.
MetService has also issued a heavy rain watch for the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty from Sunday afternoon into Monday morning.
Rain is no longer expected to reach warning criteria across Grey, Buller and western Tasman, and the earlier watch for those areas has been lifted.
Although rainfall intensity may not be extreme, persistent rain over several hours could produce substantial accumulations. Most of the North Island can expect wet conditions on Sunday as the rain moves north and east.
Residents should follow MetService updates, while drivers in recently frozen areas should remain alert for lingering ice during the coldest parts of the morning.
