Antarctic cold snap paralyses New Zealand’s South Island: Rare sea-level snow shuts roads, disrupts schools

A severe Antarctic blast swept across New Zealand's South Island on Tuesday, bringing rare sea-level snowfall, icy conditions, and widespread disruptions including road closures, school cancellations, and transport delays.

Snow fell across Dunedin, the South Island's second-largest city, prompting police to advise residents to avoid unnecessary travel as icy roads caused multiple crashes.

Christchurch's New Brighton Beach also saw snow reach the shoreline, creating a rare winter scene.

The extreme weather was driven by a direct air mass from the Antarctic ice sheet, pushing freezing temperatures up the eastern coast and bringing snow and sleet close to sea level.

New Zealand Police reported several crashes in Dunedin linked to slippery roads, though no injuries were recorded. Authorities cancelled local bus services, closed key routes, and suspended Cook Strait ferry services due to strong winds and heavy swells.

The unusual snowfall also attracted residents and snowboarders, who took advantage of the conditions by riding down Dunedin's Baldwin Street, known as the world's steepest residential street.

New Zealand's weather bureau, MetService said the cold outbreak was expected to continue for two more days, with further snow and sleet possible across eastern parts of the South Island.