Despite temperatures across New Zealand being about 2degC warmer than average, high-altitude mountains around Queenstown were blanketed with snow in the early hours of Christmas Eve.
MetService chief forecaster Peter Kraft said Queenstown had about 20mm of rain between the hours of midnight and 8am on Christmas Eve, and a temperature of 9degC to 10degC in the resort overnight.
Asked if the snowfall was uncommon for this time of year, Mr Kraft said: ''I don't know enough about climatology in the Remarkables mountain range to comment, but mountains around Queenstown are often white nearer the tops during summer.''
The combination of cool temperatures and high altitude caused the snow, as precipitation above the freezing level will remain solid.
The Remarkables ski area manager Ross Lawrence, who supplied a photograph of the snow-covered range, said the snow was a ''little odd'' considering the recent warm spell.
''It's quite interesting. I go by the theory that we're going to have at least one snowfall every month ... and well, it's proven right so far,'' he said.
