-10degC: Coldest May morning in years

The Crown Range Road this morning. Photo: MetService
The Crown Range Road this morning. Photo: MetService
It was another freezing start for many in the South today, with temperatures plunging to a bone-chilling -10degC in some places.

Forecaster Niwa said Middlemarch, inland from Dunedin, hit -10.1degC, which was provisionally New Zealand's lowest May temperature since 2001, excluding high-elevation locations.

The wintry conditions prompted warnings for road users, with gritted roads and freezing fog reported.

Dunedin Airport was also very cold, recording -8.8degC, equalling its lowest May temperature since records began, MetService said.

Inland Otago was sub-zero in most places, while further north, parts of the Mackenzie Basin also got down to about -10degC.

Alpine roads the Lindis Pass (State Highway 8) and the Crown Range Road (linking Queenstown and Wanaka) were forecast to get snow on Friday morning, MetService advised.

From 5am-10am, showers may turn to snow about the summit of the Lindis for a time Friday morning, and up to 1cm of snow may settle on the road near the summit.

Rain is expected to turn to snow about higher parts of the Crown Range Road from 3am until 9am, and 1 to 3cm of snow may settle on the road near the summit.

Earlier, the Queenstown Lakes District Council advised that roads were dry in the Wakatipu basin and some grit had been applied in the usual shaded areas and hotspots around Arthurs Point, Malaghans Road, Glenorchy Road, Bob's Cove and Closeburn this morning.

Grit had also been applied to some parts of the Crown Range and people should drive to the conditions.

There was also freezing fog around Cromwell and Kawarau Gorge. Grit had been applied around bridge decks and shady spots.

"Temperatures will drop further as day breaks, so stay alert. Watch for shaded areas and over bridges."

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