Frosts 2015

[Andy]

-8 here brr

[Skywatcher]

A new record for May at my station of -4.7C with the old one being -3.4C in 2008.

It's also the lowest temp I've recorded since 26th July 2011 when it reached -5.2C...

[Dean.]

Be close to a record for Ashburton

[Bradley]

Does anyone have an idea what minimum temperature Christchurch ended up with this morning? The lowest I saw it was -6.2C but it may well have ended up going lower?

[Simon Culling]

Thanks for you reply Richard. That is an impressive diurnal range of temperature - to reach near -10*C following a day max of 12*C would require a location in a well known frost hollow here in the UK and even then I am not sure we would see a range that big. If we dropped to -10*C here in late autumn/early winter, unless there was a change of airmass, I would be surprised to see the mercury reach zero.

[matttbs]

Does anyone have an idea what minimum temperature Christchurch ended up with this morning? The lowest I saw it was -6.2C but it may well have ended up going lower?

I saw it get to -6.4

[Bradley]

If it was -6.4C then it's the equal coldest temp recorded in Christchurch since 1980, very impressive considering we aren't even in winter yet!

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

The minimum of minus 5.9C this morning (same as you Bradley) is the coldest temperature recorded at this site since records began here in 2006. Wow!

[Richard]

The foehn NW came up mid afternoon and lifted the temperature to 14deg, so a range 23.5 deg from the -9.5deg this morning which is the second lowest recorded here for any month.

This is the chooks water bowl after nights frost

[shovelopikis]

-8C western bays, taupo last night

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

Minus 1.4C here this morning.

[Nev]

If it was -6.4C then it's the equal coldest temp recorded in Christchurch since 1980, very impressive considering we aren't even in winter yet!

Yes, Chch Aero's -6.4C on Friday not only easily beat its previous May record of -5.3C set in 2001 since records began in late 1953, it was also its 4th equal lowest ever overall temp - the lowest being -7.2C in June 1975. And yesterday morn's -5.1C will now also be its 3rd lowest ever May temp.

[Richard]

Light frost here this morning,just on zero deg

[Bradley]

If it was -6.4C then it's the equal coldest temp recorded in Christchurch since 1980, very impressive considering we aren't even in winter yet!

Yes, Chch Aero's -6.4C on Friday not only easily beat its previous May record of -5.3C set in 2001 since records began in late 1953, it was also its 4th equal lowest ever overall temp - the lowest being -7.2C in June 1975. And yesterday morn's -5.1C will now also be its 3rd lowest ever May temp.

This is probably a bit too much of an abstract request Nev but do you ever recall a minimum temperature record for Christchurch being beaten by 1.1C degree before?

[Nev]

This is probably a bit too much of an abstract request Nev but do you ever recall a minimum temperature record for Christchurch being beaten by 1.1C degree before?

Records do occasionally get 'smashed'. Chch Aero's aforesaid 1975 June record of -7.2C is 1.1C lower than its 2nd lowest June temp of -6.1C in 2005.

[Skywatcher]

Another good frost on the grass and down to -1.5C today.

[melja]

Staying in Timaru and a good frost here with -2.8 recorded.

[Bradley]

This is probably a bit too much of an abstract request Nev but do you ever recall a minimum temperature record for Christchurch being beaten by 1.1C degree before?

Records do occasionally get 'smashed'. Chch Aero's aforesaid 1975 June record of -7.2C is 1.1C lower than its 2nd lowest June temp of -6.1C in 2005.

Thanks Nev, no doubt the June 2012 record low max temp would have also smashed the lowest June record before that!

[Simon Culling]

The linked publication gives an absolute minimum for Christchurch Botanical Gardens as -7.1*C recorded on 18th July 1945. The period covered by the report is 1864-1980. Would a value of -10*C be recorded in the suburbs?

http://docs.niwa.co.nz/library/public/nzmsmp167-2.pdf

[Nev]

The linked publication gives an absolute minimum for Christchurch Botanical Gardens as -7.1*C recorded on 18th July 1945. The period covered by the report is 1864-1980. Would a value of -10*C be recorded in the suburbs?

http://docs.niwa.co.nz/library/public/nzmsmp167-2.pdf

Chch Gardens is actually pretty much in the centre of the suburbs, whereas Chch Aero is a little more inland, about 30m higher and can be a few degrees cooler than the Gardens. So if readings had been taken there in July 1945, it's quite possible they may have been down to at least -10C.

Readings are still taken at the Gardens, but we may have to wait a few more days before they're available.
Note that its earlier records from Dec 1863 to Dec 1880 were actually taken at the Provincial Council Chambers, just east of the Gardens. Records then resumed in Dec 1904 in the centre of the Gardens.

[NZ Thunderstorm Soc]

A minimum of minus 2.9C here for this morning.

[Simon Culling]

Thanks for the information Nev. We get the odd -10*C or below here from time to time and when it is that cold you can really feel it n your lungs!

Dunedin Aerodrome fell to -7.2*C on 29th May and this must also be close to a May record for this site.

[Nev]

Yes, I think -7.2C might be either Dunedin Aero's 6th or 7th lowest May temp since records began in 1963, although some of its previous records were on consecutive days, so it's possible that they may have been recorded just before and just after 9am on the same calendar day. Dunedin Aero's lowest ever May temp is -8.8C in 1988, which was also its lowest-equal overall temp.

[Richard]

A moderate frost here this morning with -3.2deg

[Andy]

-7 here