All the red-coded warnings over that time have been for rain or wind, or rain and wind combined, and none have been for heavy snow. The question is, in the face of so much destructive weather, do we need to be rethinking our use of the word "extreme"? At what point does extreme become something more like a new normal? Extreme can apply to the magnitude and frequency of an event. Photo: suppliedKeeping New Zealand viableBut in terms of its damaging effects, and how much it has been supercharged by warmer surroundings, its magnitude can still be extreme indeed.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 17, 2026 21:35 UTC