It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… well in the Northern Hemisphere. 

The sudden spell of bad weather to hit Southland this week, has meant the Otautau Christmas Street Party has been postponed.

The Christmas party, which was planned to go ahead this evening (Friday, December 11), was called off this morning. It’s now scheduled to go ahead next Friday, December 18.

President of Otautau Promotions Colin Lawry said it a tough decision to postpone the event so close to it happening, but it was the right choice. 

“It’s not good to have an outdoor event while it’s raining, he said.”

He said the inclement weather was “Southland’s winter coming in summer.”

Light snow fell in Northern Southland and Fiordland this morning as a cold front blew in, causing temperatures to plummet.  

Met Service said that places at higher altitudes in the south may still get a further dusting of snow today and into the early hours of tomorrow morning. 

Weather permitting, the Otautau Christmas Street Party will go ahead next Friday and will feature a Santa Parade, wood chopping, bouncy castle, mini-Jeeps and a variety of stalls.