Rarotonga recorded its coldest day yesterday with temperatures dropping to 17.3 degrees celsius at 2.30am.

Meteorological Service director Arona Ngari said it was due to a high-pressure system located to the southwest of the Cook Islands.

“The high pressure is pushing a ridge towards the north onto the southern Cook Islands. The longer this high pressure hangs around there, the longer the cooler air will linger for us,” Ngari said.

“So grab that jumper and jacket when driving or when outdoors and have that wooly blanket close by when hitting the sack at night.”

In 2021, the lowest temperature recorded was 15.8 degrees celsius. The lowest ever temperature of 9.8 degrees was recorded in August, 1965. 

Ngari said the country was still in a La Nina episode which means the Northern Cook Islands will be dry while the Southern Cook Islands will either have average or slightly below average rainfall.