New Zealand stretches over 1500kms north to south and with our big dividing ranges each region (and even within regions) there can be quite a temperature spread. Northern areas get more sub-tropical air, southern regions get more polar air.

In Autumn and Winter a cold night in Southland may be very different to a cold night in Northland – you may feel just as cold as each other but clearly we climatise and so eventually adapt to what we think is warm and cold. The temperature difference can be quite significant.

For people who have lived in warmer climates, like Queensland or tropical islands or nations nearer to the equator winter in Northland may be considered brutally cold even!

A number of people from places that get snow (like Germany and Canada) have told us winters in Auckland can feel colder than winters ‘back home’ because our homes aren’t so well insulated or we have different forms of heating.

Finally, there’s a difference between how cold the air feels depending on how wet (humid) or dry it is. For example -4 in dry, clear, Central Otago may feel just as cold to someone as +4 in Waikato where it’s foggy and damp.

So what do you consider a cold night?