KEY POINTS:
Fears of a looming power crisis could be allayed if predictions of above-average winter temperatures for the North Island from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) are accurate.
This could ease pressure on the flagging South Island hydro lakes, which are unlikely to fill any
time soon because normal rainfall is expected over the winter months when it matters most.
Niwa's general manager of energy, Murray Poulter, said hydro dam lake levels were "starting from behind", in part due to a lingering La Nina weather pattern, which had now ended.
He said normal rainfall was expected through most of the country between now and August and hydro dam inflows "will certainly not be dramatic".
"There is no way the things are suddenly going to fill up, but then again the inflows in that part of the world are not high at this time of the year anyway because a lot of the precipitation there is snow."
But Dr Poulter said power demands and consumption could be less than normal, particularly in the North Island, where above-average temperatures were predicted.
"It could mean fewer people will be using heaters."
But despite these predictions, cold outbreaks similar to the icy blast that swept over much of the country at the weekend were still in the mix.
MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said the bitingly cold conditions were brought on by an active cold southerly front.
This resulted in 6cm of snow falling to sea level in some parts of Canterbury and roads, some covered in black ice, being closed throughout the South Island.
Flights from Christchurch Airport were delayed on Saturday night as ground staff worked to remove ice from aircraft wings.
In the North Island, Irish captain Brian O'Driscoll shivered uncontrollably in a mercifully short post-match interview after his side's 21-11 loss to the All Blacks on Saturday night.
He described the conditions - which included a wind-chill factor of minus 3C - as some of the coldest he had ever played in.
But Mr McDavitt said the worst of the cold weather was over and an anti-cyclone lingering over the Tasman Sea meant more settled conditions were expected through much of the country from today.
He said it was likely to be frosty and foggy south of Auckland, particularly in sheltered areas, and these conditions were likely to continue until Thursday.
"The coldest time of the year will be late July. This is optimum timing, really, to get the snow on the skifields."
