New Zealand has skipped autumn this year, and is being transported straight into winter. Following a brief spell of record heat, an Antarctic blast is now in charge, one that has already delivered freezing temperatures and heavy early-season snow. NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino said the fleeting warmth is over, and that a cold snap is now set to dominate: “These same places like Christchurch, like Kaikoura –which had the warmest May temperature on record yesterday (27.2C / 81F)– they are going to struggle to hit temperatures like 11C, 12C, 13C for a maximum today. Snow will get down to about 500-600 metres this morning. “Then we have frost, the next couple of mornings places like Alexandra could see tomorrow morning and Friday morning -5C (23F). Places like Invercargill could be 0C (32F). Even interior portions of the North Island like Masterton could see some frost. So it’s going to be chilly.” These “chilly” lows could actually challenge the record books. That’s a flip from record warmth to potentially record cold in the space of just 24-48 hours — a further example of the swings between extremes and the impact low solar activity has on the jet streams: