Weather warnings

Well I will get the remainder of the NZ pics online soon - probably when I get back down to Wangas (yup not long til winter break now) Speaking of which winter definitely seems to have arrived early and with force this year.  Yesterday almost all the roads through the North Island were blocked off due to either slips and repair work or ice and snow.  That didn't happen til July last year (of course the place where I am doesn't usually get snow so I still haven't seen it...that being said Tauranga doesn't usually have extreme weather either but it sure did just over a week ago as you can see here and here. I guess its always a possibility... just not very likely)   

We haven't escaped the low temperatures here tho - was about negative 4 Celsius last night and has been 2 Celsius for much of today (finally up to 8C) but here only gets bad frost (like we had this morning) and the occasional hailstorm (though not like in those pics from Tauranga).  Snow has never yet been recorded here that I know of (and it has only snowed twice ever in Wangas - and only once during my lifetime...but on the other side of town - for some reason I just seem to keep missing it.)  

Should be interesting seeing what the next few days are like.  The Desert Road still has a road snowfall warning over it for the next few days as well as the other main North Island State Highway, due to the fact heavy snow is again forecast for the next few days for the Central Plateau area (which you can see minus snow in the pics from the drive back north)  If that does happen it's likely the routes through the North Island will be blocked off again cause the other routes currently have construction and road repair going on...all but the Forgotten Highway...and that road is partially unsealed.  Will definitely be interesting seeing how long this weather lasts