新西兰正经历一股南极冷流的影响，全国气温骤降并伴随极端降雪天气。首都威灵顿周二中午刚过时出现雨夹雪，这是该城11年来首次降雪，也是降至海平面的15年来首次降雪事件[1]。南岛城市但尼丁积雪覆盖，居民在著名的Baldwin Street滑雪，该街道已被吉尼斯世界纪录认证为世界最陡街道[1]。
南岛三个地点周三早晨气温降至零下9摄氏度[1]。气象部门预警周四将是今年最冷的早晨[1]。极端天气引发多起道路安全事故，包括部分公路关闭和汽车在结冰路面打滑的多起事件，警方劝阻公众避免出行[1]。电网运营商Transpower记录到周三早晨用电量达到历史最高水平，并警告周五早晨可能出现能源短缺[1]。
An Antarctic cold front brought extreme winter conditions to New Zealand this week, delivering Wellington with its first snowfall to sea level in 15 years [1]. The capital experienced sleet and snow just after noon on Tuesday, marking the first such precipitation in 11 years [1]. Across the country, temperatures plummeted, with three locations in the South Island recording lows of minus 9 degrees Celsius on Wednesday morning [1].
The unusual weather prompted residents of Dunedin to take advantage of the snow-covered conditions, with some skiing down Baldwin Street, the world's steepest street according to Guinness World Records [1]. Meanwhile, the extreme cold strained the nation's power grid, with Transpower recording its highest-ever electricity demand on Wednesday morning and warning of potential energy shortages on Friday morning [1]. The harsh conditions also disrupted travel, as several roads closed and police responded to multiple vehicle skids on icy surfaces, urging the public to avoid unnecessary journeys [1].