Snow

In the capital city of Shenyang, in Liaoning province, average snowfall reached 51cm (20 inches).

This is the highest recorded snowfall since 1905, said state outlet Xinhua.

In neighbouring inner Mongolia, one person died and more than 5,600 were affected after a heavy snowstorm.

Meteorological researchers in the Mongolian city of Tongliao told state outlet the Global Times that the snowstorm was an extremely random and sudden extreme weather event.

With temperatures touching 1 degree Celsius, residents in the Algerian town of Ain Sefra — known as the gateway to the Sahara — enjoyed sliding down the dunes before 40cm of snowfall melted away by the afternoon.

Local resident Karim Bouchetata said they were surprised when they awoke to the unusual scene.

"People were very happy, children played in the snow and everyone was taking photos," he told the ABC.

Grabbing his camera, Mr Bouchetata photographed his town and the surrounding mountains.

The wild weather has seen southerly gales peak at 167 km/h in Wellington, and a 10m wave was recorded in Cook Strait. Further south, snowy conditions are expected to ease by this weekend.

RNZI reports the Hawke's Bay Civil Defence, police and the NZ Transport Authority have launched a rescue operation after more than a dozen motorists got their vehicles stuck on State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupō.

Their 1984 Band Aid prediction that "there won't be snow in Africa this Christmastime" has once again been proven wrong -- and this time in spectacular fashion.

The Algerian town of Ain Sefra, deep in the dry, hot Sahara desert was hit by a freak snowfall on December 19. It's the first time snow has fallen in the region in 37 years.