This golden strip of sand, fringed by turquoise waters, is part of the popular Abel Tasman National Park on Tasman Bay (also known as Te Tai-o-Aorere) at the top of the South Island. Awaroa Beach is nothing if not beloved. So much so that in 2016, almost 40,000 Kiwis banded together to buy the beach from a private entity for more than $2 million and donated it to New Zealand's Department of Conservation.
Just this week our prime minister announced that the government is giving police officers new powers to move on rough sleepers or people displaying disorderly behaviour in town and city centres. Breaching an order risks a fine of up to NZ$2,000 or three-month jail term. Instead of investing in infrastructure to support the most vulnerable members of our community, authorities want to sweep the problem under the rug and punish them for it.
A focused Sunday-through-Tuesday storm brings the only meaningful snowfall window, with the best accumulation in Canterbury and lighter spillover elsewhere. Guidance supports a regional high-elevation refresh around 20 cm-30 cm at the top end, while most other fields stay in a modest 1 cm-6 cm range. Expect mostly dense to moderate snow quality during the core burst.
A deep area of low pressure to the south-east of New Zealand's North Island swept into the region on Sunday, bringing heavy rain, gale-force winds and dangerous coastal swells that lashed exposed shorelines. The storm triggered power outages, forced evacuations and damaged infrastructure, with further impacts likely on Monday as the system lingers for a time, before tracking southwards later.
On an empty beach at the bottom of the world, the waves that roll over the sand are midnight blue and lit by the stars and a waxing moon. I'm only vaguely familiar with the constellations that hang above Great Barrier Island, known for centuries to the Māori as Aotea, some 56 nautical miles northeast of Auckland, New Zealand. I'm not all that used to seeing them so clearly,
WeatherNew Zealand's Southern Alps see a small, wet early-week storm that peaks on Tuesday, with Mt Hutt and Mount Dobson leading totals. Snow levels start high Monday night near 6,200-6,600 feet, then drop into the 4,700-5,000 feet range on Tuesday as temperatures settle near freezing, improving the odds of snow reaching lower mountain elevations. Snow quality stays on the heavy side with SLRs mostly around 6-7:1, so expect dense, moisture-rich snow rather than light powder, and moderate southeast winds add some exposed-ridge bite.
I spent six weeks traveling solo across New Zealand from Auckland down to Queenstown. Despite being a seasoned traveler, I still made mistakes like staying in the wrong city too long. I should've booked fewer excursions and looked up where to sit for better views on my bus routes. Even after traveling the world solo for 10 years, I still make mistakes when visiting new destinations.
