We may have made it through July, traditionally the coldest month of the year, but the next few days will test the mettle of even the hardiest locals.
Today, MetService is predicting a high of 6°C on the flat with a low of -5°C - at Queenstown Airport at least - while up on Coronet Peak -10°C is the forecast maximum.
But that’s almost balmy compared to tomorrow’s predicted low on the hill - a jaw-dropping -16°C.
It’s the same story at The Remarkables, where it could drop as low as -15°C tomorrow.
NZSki boss Paul Anderson’s described it as "like Canada temperatures".
He’s, unsurprisingly, thrilled about this week’s snowfall - the first since June 30 - which delivered about 60cm to The Remarkables and 50cm to Coronet, but says ice build-up is causing some interruption to lift operations.
"The automatic systems on the lifts basically stop the lifts when they sense a little bit of ice, and the ice pretty much builds up as the lifts go around and through this freezing fog that we’ve got."
As far as the ground temperatures go, which are predicted to be below zero overnight for the next few days, even a MetService meteorologist says it may be colder than forecast.
"Sometimes the models under-do it a little bit with these repeated cold days."
According to Arrowtown-based weather recorder Richard Newman, in parts of the Wakatipu you can expect the low to be at least 3°C colder than predicted.
