An Antarctic polar blast swept across parts of New Zealand's South Island on Tuesday, bringing snow to sea level and icy temperatures that forced road closures and disrupted schools.

Snow blanketed Dunedin, the South Island's second-largest city, prompting police to urge residents to avoid travel unless absolutely necessary because of icy roads.

"Police have received a number of reports of crashes across Dunedin this morning, with some vehicles sliding off the road. Thankfully, there have been no injuries," New Zealand Police said in a social media post.

Skiers and snowboarders took advantage of the snowfall by descending Dunedin's Baldwin Street, billed as the world's steepest residential street, local media reported. Farther north, snow was visible on the sand at Christchurch's New Brighton Beach.





Snowfall is uncommon in Dunedin, particularly at sea level, although the city's hill suburbs can receive snow during severe cold outbreaks.

All bus services in the city were canceled, authorities said, while ferry services between New Zealand's North and South islands were suspended because of strong winds and heavy swells.

MetService, New Zealand's weather bureau, said the cold outbreak was expected to persist for the next two days, bringing snow or sleet to near sea level across the eastern South Island.

Thursday morning could bring the coldest temperatures of the year for many parts of the country, the forecaster said.

Reuters
 https://www.sott.net/article/507757-Rare-snow-blankets-New-Zealand-cities-and-falls-at-sea-level

Antarctica’s Deep Freeze
July 2026 was exceptionally cold across Antarctica, with Vostok and the South Pole posting monthly averages well below normal and approaching long-standing records.

At Vostok, Russia’s Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute has confirmed a July mean of -71.6C (-96.9F). That is 6.2C (11.2F) below the 2005–2024 average, making for the coldest July of the past decade.

Across Vostok’s record, dating back to 1958, only four Julys have been colder: 1983 at -73.8C (-100.8F), 1997 at -72.9C (-99.2F), 1979 at -72.3C (-98.1F) and 2016 at -71.8C (-97.2F).

At the South Pole, July averaged -64.3C (-83.7F), which is 4.1C (7.4F) below normal. This matches the South Pole’s former July record set in 1965. That benchmark stood for 32 years before July 1997 averaged -66C; the current record, -67.3C, was set in 2004.

At Concordia/Dome C, temperatures plunged to -84.1C (-119.4F) on July 18—the lowest air temperature recorded on Earth since 2012 and just 0.6C shy of Concordia’s all-time record of -84.7C set in 2010.

The nearby Dome C II AWS, operating since 1995, was also running around 5-6C below its July normal late in the month and close to its coldest July values on record. Its complete July mean has yet to be finalized.
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/antarcticas-deep-freeze-new-zealand

August Chill Breaks 19 Records
A sharp summer chill swept the northern Rockies and High Plains on August 4 and 5, breaking or tying at least 19 daily cold records across seven states.

Livingston, MT fell to 34F (1.1C) on Aug 4, smashing its previous daily record of 40F set in 1982. Miles City dropped to 42F (5.6C), beating a record dating to 1952, while Baker reached 38F (3.3C), five degrees below its previous benchmark.

Great Falls fell to 38F, Havre to 40F, Rapid City to 43F and Baker City, OR to 36F (2.2C).

Bozeman Yellowstone Airport managed a high of just 67F (19.4C), its coldest Aug 4 max on record (books back to 1935).

The chill continued into August 5.

Denver dropped to 47F (8.3C), breaking its 1978 record. Alliance, NE fell to 43F, Pierre to 47F, and Scottsbluff tied a record dating back to 1904 with 48F (8.9C).

Miles City, Livingston, Baker and Rapid City all registered records on consecutive days.

At the height of summer, parts of the American West are flirting with a freeze.
https://electroverse.substack.com/p/august-chill-breaks-19-records-argentinas

The deep Antarctic freeze is refusing to ease.

At the South Pole Station, July averaged approximately -64.3C (-83.7F), some 4.1C below the station’s seasonal norm. This ties with 1969 as the fourth-coldest July and ranks joint seventh-coldest among ALL months in records dating back to 1957.

Minimum temperatures fell below -70C (-94F) on 12 days during the month, tying the station record set in July 1986.

Conditions were similarly severe at Vostok Station.

Its provisional July mean stands at -71.6C (-96.9F), some 6.2C below the average and the station’s fourth-coldest July in books back to 1958. Only July 1983 (-73.8C), 1997 (-72.9C) and 1979 (-72.3C) were colder.

Vostok Station (circled), deep within the high interior of East Antarctica.

The cold has now persisted into August, too.

On Aug 1, the South Pole recorded a low of -73.2C, with a daily mean of -71.6C—11.5C below the August norm.

https://electroverse.substack.com/p/antarctic-cold-persists-into-august

Canada and Provinces Yesterday's Hot and Cold Spots ...
Hot spot in Canada: 36.7 °C      Lillooet, BC
Cold spot in Canada: 0.3 °C      Hendrickson Creek, AB

Hot spot in Ontario: 29.7 °C   Moosonee
Cold spot in Ontario: 5.7 °C   Kirkland Lake

Hot spot in British Columbia: 36.7 °C   Lillooet
Cold spot in British Columbia: 5.1 °C   Yoho National Park

Hot spot in Alberta: 30.6 °C   Jasper Warden Station
Cold spot in Alberta: 0.3 °C   Hendrickson Creek


komoka village weather
 Latitude N 42° 57' 36"    Longitude W 81° 26' 18"    Elevation 827 ft

Today Now at 09:00 on 08 August 2026
Komoka, ON Canada
The Over Night Temp Low was  20.8 °C
Rainfall of  0.0 mm since midnight.
Rainfall last 24 hours 0.6 mm
Current Temp Outside is  22.5 °C with Humidity  70 % and Dew Point  12.4 °C
Latest Wind Gust  8.5 km/h with speed of  4.3 km/h  from the S
Wind Chill is  22.5 °C
Barometer is currently sitting on 1013.48 hPa
Sunshine hours so far today 0.8
Current Snow Depth is 0 cm with a recent Fall of  cm


Yesterday's Highs and Lows Canada: UTC -5 (NZT -18)
Komoka, Ontario, Canada
Temp High: 27.8 °C
Temp Low: 20.2 °C
Hum High: 74 %
Hum Low: 59 %
Day Rainfall Total: 0.6 mm
Month Rainfall Total: 44.4 mm
Year Rainfall Total: 480.2 mm
Highest Wind Gust: 19.3
Highest Average Wind Speed: 8.5 km/h
Wind Run: 64.7 km
Baro High: 1019.81 hPa
Baro Low: 1015.38 hPa
Rainfall last 24 hours: 0.6 mm
Sunshine: 3.3 hours
New Snowfall:  cm
Total Snow Depth: 0 cm