Dealing with Rotorua cold snap

When it starts getting cold, gardener Janeen Mathie layers up.
Yesterday, when the temperature in Rotorua dropped to 1C, she had on 10 layers - three thermal shirts, four T-shirts, a woollen vest and two jackets. On her legs she had long johns under her trackpants, and overalls on top of those. She also wore a hat, scarf, gloves and three pairs of socks.
"It gets that cold," Mrs Mathie said. "It takes a long time to defrost - we have steel-cap boots, so my toes stay cold for ages."
She said she had a muscle condition which worsened in the cold, hence so many layers, but working outside, gardening in the Government Gardens for Castlecorp, had its benefits.
"In summer, people ask me if I've lost lots of weight - in winter I can walk like the Michelin man. But I love it when the sun comes out - we have to start stripping layers off, but about 2pm when the sun drops the layers go back on again."
At 8am yesterday the temperature had dropped to its minimum for the day, a crisp 1C. In Taupo the mercury dropped to -1C overnight.
But residents in Rotorua and Taupo can prepare for some warmer nights - last night was predicted to drop to 4C in Rotorua and 3C in Taupo, with the same temperatures expected tonight thanks to some cloud cover.
MetService forecaster Matthew Ford said it was unlikely to get much warmer until spring.
"Things start to look interesting for [tonight]," he said. "We should have cloudy periods and the odd shower. There's a low developing over the Coromandel, so expect some heavier rain coming over Rotorua.
"With it being cloudy and a southeasterly, it will feel a bit cooler. You can expect temperatures of 11C to 12C for the next few days. Overnight temperatures are probably not going to be too frosty. In Taupo it should reach 11C, with showers."
Rotorua workers were doing all they could yesterday to brave the cold.
Swim Rotorua coach Henk Greupink is restricted in how much to wear - gloves get in the way of working a stopwatch. He said he didn't mind the cold, as long as it was not raining too.
"I can't work with an umbrella or gloves," he said.
If the weather was too rough he would give his swimmers long sets on repeat and watch from shelter. Yesterday he made sure he moved around.
Mr Greupink regretted his choice of clothing yesterday - he had forgotten to pull on a sweatshirt and had thin socks. Usually he wears four layers and has a mug of coffee to keep his hands warm when poolside at the Rotorua Aquatic Centre at 5.30am, fives days a week, until 7.15am. He returns in the late afternoon. On Saturdays he is there from 6am to 10am.
"I'd looked at the long-range forecast and I knew it was going to be cold but I didn't expect it yesterday," he said.
"I was feeling sorry for myself. I had to keep moving. The alternative is to go inside, where I can wear shorts and a T-shirt, but for the swimmers it's too hot."