22 May 2017

Winter bites in first cold snap of the year

From Morning Report, 6:44 am on 22 May 2017

Plunging temperatures, snow and rain have left roads treacherous and MetService is warning motorists to take extra care in icy conditions.

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Photo: Supplied / @waikakagenetics

MetService severe weather forecaster Sarah Garlick told Morning Report the weekend's snow was the "first real taste" of winter.

"It's a pretty frosty start for a lot of people this morning.

"It doesn't look like any major weather systems are coming our way but not fine weather for the rest of the week," she said.

This morning it was -6.3 in Middlemarch, and the president of the local museum, Irene Ramsay, said she would have to milk her goats in the negative temperatures. 

"It's not too bad," she said.

"They're always quite glad to see me on a cold morning."

In Ophir, the owner of the Blacks Hotel Sam Stoddart, said it was "absolutely freezing."

"It's lovely warm in the hotel, we've got two fires going at the moment to keep everyone warm.

"We've got the coldest recorded temperatures..but beautiful summers," she said.