“That continues into tomorrow where the day starts off crisp and cold, though not as cold as today, and plenty of sunshine throughout the day.”
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) said the country was in the middle of a “winter-like surge” with snow expected in the central North Island yesterday evening as polar air plunged temperatures to below zero.
Frosts were also likely tomorrow morning.
Makgabutlane said this May was a stark contrast with last year.
“Many may recall the tropical-feeling temperatures of May 2023, where places such as Auckland and Hamilton experienced record-breaking warm nights.
“However, this year, expect an overnight drop to mid-single digits in Auckland City and early morning temperatures hovering near freezing in Hamilton.”
The fine weather is set to continue for Bay of Plenty and Taupō into the weekend and next week.
Power cuts possible on one of coldest mornings of 2024
New Zealanders could find their power cut Friday morning just as temperatures are expected to drop below zero after a warning that electricity generation may not keep up with demand.
The country’s power grid operator Transpower issued a warning notice this morning saying there were “insufficient generation offers to meet demand” between 7.30am and 8.30am on Friday.
Key members of the energy industry held an emergency meeting this morning, a spokesman for Transpower told the Herald.
Another emergency meeting would be held this afternoon to try and secure enough electricity to cope with demand, he said.
“We’ve been talking to [the energy] industry trying to get them to do more [power] generation,” he said.
Transpower’s notice outlines the consequences of not having enough electricity: “The system operator may need to manage demand.”
- Additional reporting by Raphael Franks
