Some southern fruitgrowers also experienced a one-in-40 year event at the weekend.
The storm which saw snow down to low levels and bitterly cold conditions, also produced one of the longest frosts on orchards, especially in Central Otago.
Summerfruit New Zealand chair, Roxburgh orchardist Gary Bennetts, says most growers in the area had sprinklers on for 12 hours overnight on Saturday to protect fruit blossoms on their trees.
He says fruitgrowers expect to be frost-fighting this time of year, but alarms usually awake them in the early hours of the morning.
