Winter Weather in New Zealand

For the last few days, we have had plenty of winter weather. This, of course, depends on where you live. If you live in the far north of New Zealand, you have probably had rain and cold temperatures. If you live in the far south, you have probably had rain, hail, sleet, snow, ice and frost. In fact, many parts of New Zealand had snow during the weekend.

Dunedin had plenty of snow overnight. At first, we heard that schools would open at 10 am today instead of the usual time. Then we heard that some schools would not open today at all because of ice on the roads. Some roads on the hills were closed to buses, and the motorway in and out of the city was closed for a time. Dunedin and Queenstown airports were closed also in the morning.

While snow can be a problem for cars, buses, and planes, snow makes some people happy. Skiers and snowboarders are excited by excellent conditions on the mountains. Children who have a sledge and can find a hill are also happy.

For the rest of us, it gives us something to talk about. New Zealanders love to talk about the weather. We can say, “Isn’t it cold?” or “Cold enough for you?” to people we meet, and they might reply, “Certainly is!” Do people in other countries talk about the weather too?