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Record frosts have led to motoring misery across New Zealand with many accidents reported.
The mercury dipped to a 40-year low at Wellington Airport and the Hutt Valley recorded its second lowest July temperature ever at minus 5.4 degrees.
A nine degree frost turned Upper Hutt roads into ice rinks and the morning rush hour was reduced to a crawl in the hazardous conditions.
Overnight the cold caught out countless vehicles in the capital but at daybreak road gangs were out in force trying to make the roads as safe as possible.
Frosts in July are to be expected, but this winter they are more severe and officials are finding patches around the city where there has never been ice before.
Police say many drivers have been caught out this week.
Inspector John Kelly from Traffic Operations says two fatalities have been attributed to the icy conditions on the roads - in the Bay of Plenty and Canterbury.
Driving instructor Don Elvy says the best thing to do when striking ice is to decelerate and not to touch the brakes.
Homeowners count the cost
Meanwhile, after six consecutive frosts, homeowners in Wellington are also counting the cost.
Ground temperatures in the capital have fallen to their lowest point since 1939 this week and water pipes are bursting in the extreme cold.
Plumbers are being kept on the go and carpet cleaners have also been in demand, cleaning up the from the burst pipes and damaged hot water cylinders.
Chris Ryan from the Insurance Council says it is a reminder to protect water pipes to make sure there is some protection for property.
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