Several days of snow resulted from
a strong Antarctic front which pushed northward on the 16 August,
2011. The snowstorm which was described on the order of a 50
year event dropped snow on many parts of the country that had not
seen snow since the 1970's. The 17 August was the coldest day
ever recorded in Auckland. The last time that it snowed in Auckland
was in 1939. However, overall temperatures in New Zealand were
colder and the quantity of snow was a lot worse in the 1930 event,
according to one weather historian.
Geocachers who try to find the
cache soon after it is published will find the nearby remains of
one of the very many snow forts built all over the city during the
two days that schools were closed.
Image on 17/8 from the Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite
The area around the cache can be
very busy between 7 and 9 AM and between 3 and 6 PM when students
and commuters use the nearby path. The area is also busy
during the farmers market held every Saturday in Riccarton Bush.
Please use care when approaching the cache during these peak
times.
Riccarton Bush Park can be accessed
through gates on Kahu Rd. and Ngahere St. Please note that
the gates to Riccarton Bush are closed at night. The posted
hours for the park are 6AM to 6PM, but these are subject to
seasonal changes.
Please return the cache so it is
exactly as you found it. And please remember to bring
a pen!