Winter blasts into the South
Check state highways here
The South Island woke to multiple highway closures after heavy snow fell in many areas from Friday night, the NZ Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi advised, but roads were beginning to reopen.
"Crews are out working to restore access on closed highways, but in some cases, snow was still falling. On State Highway 8, stranded vehicles are being cleared to enable the road to reopen," a spokesman said late on Saturday morning.
"The polar blast came through yesterday as expected, leaving in its wake up to a metre of snow the crews have been working through the night to clear."
NZTA decided to shut SH87 between Mosgiel and Kyeburn at 5.20pm on Friday, cutting off Middlemarch, and it was joined by SH85 (the Pigroot) between Palmerston and Alexandra at 8.15pm. Both highways remain closed on Saturday.
SH85 between Alexandra and Kyeburn has reopened.
People were being advised to stay home in Central Otago's Maniototo and upper Manuherekia areas, unless travel was essential, due to heavy snow.
MetService meteorologist Samkelo Magwala said the worst of the snow would continue until later on Saturday, as would the risks associated with this weather.
"The main driver of the snow is a low east of the South Island and it's propagating the cold suddenly into the region.
"As a result, we have this destructive snow which is wet but will remain for quite some time. This is a very good indication that the winter is truly with us." Canterbury
In Canterbury, SH7 from Hanmer Springs to Springs Junction, SH73 from Otira to Springfield (Arthur's Pass and Porters Pass) and SH8 between Fairlie and Twizel remain closed.
SH80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/ Mount Cook was also closed due to snow on Friday night, but has now reopened, as has SH79 from Fairlie to Gudex Road.
Snow showers were forecast for the Lewis Pass, Arthur's Pass and Porters Pass until about 2pm today, MetService advised. Warnings have been lifted for the Haast Pass (SH6). Crown Range Rd reopens
The Crown Range Road, linking Queenstown and Wānaka, was closed on Friday night due to heavy snow, but was set to reopen at 10.30am. However, chains are essential.
A police spokesman said they had received calls about "a small handful" of vehicles had been stranded on the alpine pass yesterday, but managed to get out before the road was shut.
A spokesman for the Queenstown Lakes District Council said conditions yesterday and cold overnight temperatures led to an extremely slippery road surface and crews were applying grit to the road on Saturday morning.
"The Crown Range Road will open at 10.30am, but chains will need to be fitted. Please follow instructions at the Eastbourne Gates and Chain Bay 1."
MetService said at 10am that snow showers were no longer expected on the road.
Meanwhile, temperatures around the Queenstown Lakes district were sitting around 3°C or below this morning and could potentially lead to ice with the roads being wet.
"Grit has been applied on the Devil Staircase and Arrow Junction (SH6), as well as the usual shaded areas and bridge decks." Central Otago
In Central Otago, thick snow of up to 30cm has been recorded in Maniototo, meaning essential travel only for road users as well as in Upper Manuherekia where Oturehua, Becks, St Bathans, Wedderburn are affected, a spokeswoman for the Central Otago District Council advised this morning.
There are normal winter driving conditions for Omakau, Poolburn, Roxburgh, Cromwell and Alexandra. However, some roads are wet from rain overnight and patches of snow on the high-country roads.
"We are expecting temperatures to drop around daybreak causing ice issues, ice likely particularly on bridge decks and shaded spots, reduce your speeds and drive to the conditions.
"If your travel isn't essential in Maniototo and upper Manuherekia areas, the advice is to stay at home."
Danseys Pass Road is closed (from the gates past the Danseys Pass Hotel) due to snow.
"There are a lot of roads affected by this weather system, before you start your journey, please check."
A snowfall warning has been lifted for the Lindis Pass (SH8). South Otago
Contractors were assessing roads in the Clutha District on Saturday morning after some areas were affected by snow overnight, a spokeswoman for the Clutha District Council said.
"We are advised that there are roads in West Otago affected by ice, with light dustings of snow up in the higher areas, including Moa Flat Rd which is reported to have snow in places. It is reported that the road is clear of snow but ice is present.
"While there wasn't an abundance of snow like in other regions we are experiencing icy roads, so we are urging road users to take care on the roads today."
Southland
The Milford Road (SH94) in Southland is open, with fine and frosty conditions. There's ice and grit especially around bridges and road users were advised to drive with care.
NZTA also warned of snow on SH6 between Kingston and Lumsden.
Police urged drivers to be more vigilant after reports in Southland of black-ice related crashes between Invercargill and Bluff. There were no injuries in relation to those. Ferries cancelled
Cook Strait ferries were being cancelled this weekend because of forecast 6m swells.
Interislander had cancelled all passenger sailings for today. Bluebridge had also cancelled all today's sailings and one early tomorrow. Freezing start to Friday
It was a freezing start to the day in much of the South on Friday.
At 7am, the MetService website showed Mosgiel as officially the coldest centre in the country, on -5°C. Alexandra was -2.5°C, and Queenstown was -1°C.
Dunedin was 3°C, only 1°C lower than the warmest places in the South Island - Nelson and Westport which were 4°C.
At 10.45am, Mosgiel was still shivering on -1.5°C.
Non-official weather station data on the MetService site showed -7°C at Tekapo at dawn, and both the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes District Councils said temperatures of -6°C had been recorded.
The freezing conditions prompted police in the South to issue a warning of black ice on southern roads and to urge motorists to take "extreme care".
They said they had already attended one black-ice related crash yesterday morning and were aware of another.
"Thankfully, no-one has been injured but we want to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely."
- By ODT staff and RNZ
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RNZ News
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Road closures for parts of State Highway 8 and State Highway 80 due to snowfall
State Highway 8 between Twizel and Fairlie and State Highway 80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/Mt Cook will be closed to motorists because of extremely icy conditions. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Transport Agency Two areas of state highway in the Mackenzie Country will be closed again on Saturday night due to dangerous driving conditions caused by snowfall. New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said State Highway 8 between Twizel and Fairlie and State Highway 80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/Mt Cook would be closed to motorists because of extremely icy conditions caused by snow flurries, snow melt and freezing temperatures. Crews would be working on the roads, breaking up ice and spreading grit, NZTA said. A decision would be made in the morning about when the roads would open again. On Friday night, motorists were stranded in Lindis Pass when sections of SH8 became blocked by snowfall, prompting a rescue mission. Firefighters were called as a polar blast struck Canterbury and Otago, dumping up to a metre in some areas. The occupants of five cars and a couple of trucks had to abandon their vehicles and were taken to Tekapo for the night, with specialist Fire and Emergency vehicles being used to extract the vehicles. The motorists were reunited with their vehicles Saturday morning. Elsewhere, SH73 from Otira to Springfield (Arthur's Pass and Porters Pass) and SH85 from Kyeburn to Palmerston were both re-opened earlier on Saturday. A slip at Gorge Stream on SH7 was now clear, meaning the highway from Hanmer Springs to Springs Junction had been re-opened. State Highway 87 between Mosgiel and Kyeburn was also open. Fears of an extreme cold snap did not eventuate, despite chilly temperatures around the motu. The country went into the latter part of the week with almost two dozen weather warnings in place, but rain eased on Friday in Tāupo and the Bay of Plenty, and the South Island avoided heavy snowfall. On Saturday, a strong wind watch was issued for the Chatham Islands through to Sunday due to a nearby deep low, bringing northerly gales. MetService meteorologist Sylvia Martino told RNZ Dunedin Airport and Takapō took out the chilliest spots, at minus five overnight, while Christchurch dropped to minus one. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Otago Daily Times
13 hours ago
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Winter blasts into the South
Check state highways here The South Island woke to multiple highway closures after heavy snow fell in many areas from Friday night, the NZ Transport Agency/Waka Kotahi advised, but roads were beginning to reopen. "Crews are out working to restore access on closed highways, but in some cases, snow was still falling. On State Highway 8, stranded vehicles are being cleared to enable the road to reopen," a spokesman said late on Saturday morning. "The polar blast came through yesterday as expected, leaving in its wake up to a metre of snow the crews have been working through the night to clear." NZTA decided to shut SH87 between Mosgiel and Kyeburn at 5.20pm on Friday, cutting off Middlemarch, and it was joined by SH85 (the Pigroot) between Palmerston and Alexandra at 8.15pm. Both highways remain closed on Saturday. SH85 between Alexandra and Kyeburn has reopened. People were being advised to stay home in Central Otago's Maniototo and upper Manuherekia areas, unless travel was essential, due to heavy snow. MetService meteorologist Samkelo Magwala said the worst of the snow would continue until later on Saturday, as would the risks associated with this weather. "The main driver of the snow is a low east of the South Island and it's propagating the cold suddenly into the region. "As a result, we have this destructive snow which is wet but will remain for quite some time. This is a very good indication that the winter is truly with us." Canterbury In Canterbury, SH7 from Hanmer Springs to Springs Junction, SH73 from Otira to Springfield (Arthur's Pass and Porters Pass) and SH8 between Fairlie and Twizel remain closed. SH80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/ Mount Cook was also closed due to snow on Friday night, but has now reopened, as has SH79 from Fairlie to Gudex Road. Snow showers were forecast for the Lewis Pass, Arthur's Pass and Porters Pass until about 2pm today, MetService advised. Warnings have been lifted for the Haast Pass (SH6). Crown Range Rd reopens The Crown Range Road, linking Queenstown and Wānaka, was closed on Friday night due to heavy snow, but was set to reopen at 10.30am. However, chains are essential. A police spokesman said they had received calls about "a small handful" of vehicles had been stranded on the alpine pass yesterday, but managed to get out before the road was shut. A spokesman for the Queenstown Lakes District Council said conditions yesterday and cold overnight temperatures led to an extremely slippery road surface and crews were applying grit to the road on Saturday morning. "The Crown Range Road will open at 10.30am, but chains will need to be fitted. Please follow instructions at the Eastbourne Gates and Chain Bay 1." MetService said at 10am that snow showers were no longer expected on the road. Meanwhile, temperatures around the Queenstown Lakes district were sitting around 3°C or below this morning and could potentially lead to ice with the roads being wet. "Grit has been applied on the Devil Staircase and Arrow Junction (SH6), as well as the usual shaded areas and bridge decks." Central Otago In Central Otago, thick snow of up to 30cm has been recorded in Maniototo, meaning essential travel only for road users as well as in Upper Manuherekia where Oturehua, Becks, St Bathans, Wedderburn are affected, a spokeswoman for the Central Otago District Council advised this morning. There are normal winter driving conditions for Omakau, Poolburn, Roxburgh, Cromwell and Alexandra. However, some roads are wet from rain overnight and patches of snow on the high-country roads. "We are expecting temperatures to drop around daybreak causing ice issues, ice likely particularly on bridge decks and shaded spots, reduce your speeds and drive to the conditions. "If your travel isn't essential in Maniototo and upper Manuherekia areas, the advice is to stay at home." Danseys Pass Road is closed (from the gates past the Danseys Pass Hotel) due to snow. "There are a lot of roads affected by this weather system, before you start your journey, please check." A snowfall warning has been lifted for the Lindis Pass (SH8). South Otago Contractors were assessing roads in the Clutha District on Saturday morning after some areas were affected by snow overnight, a spokeswoman for the Clutha District Council said. "We are advised that there are roads in West Otago affected by ice, with light dustings of snow up in the higher areas, including Moa Flat Rd which is reported to have snow in places. It is reported that the road is clear of snow but ice is present. "While there wasn't an abundance of snow like in other regions we are experiencing icy roads, so we are urging road users to take care on the roads today." Southland The Milford Road (SH94) in Southland is open, with fine and frosty conditions. There's ice and grit especially around bridges and road users were advised to drive with care. NZTA also warned of snow on SH6 between Kingston and Lumsden. Police urged drivers to be more vigilant after reports in Southland of black-ice related crashes between Invercargill and Bluff. There were no injuries in relation to those. Ferries cancelled Cook Strait ferries were being cancelled this weekend because of forecast 6m swells. Interislander had cancelled all passenger sailings for today. Bluebridge had also cancelled all today's sailings and one early tomorrow. Freezing start to Friday It was a freezing start to the day in much of the South on Friday. At 7am, the MetService website showed Mosgiel as officially the coldest centre in the country, on -5°C. Alexandra was -2.5°C, and Queenstown was -1°C. Dunedin was 3°C, only 1°C lower than the warmest places in the South Island - Nelson and Westport which were 4°C. At 10.45am, Mosgiel was still shivering on -1.5°C. Non-official weather station data on the MetService site showed -7°C at Tekapo at dawn, and both the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes District Councils said temperatures of -6°C had been recorded. The freezing conditions prompted police in the South to issue a warning of black ice on southern roads and to urge motorists to take "extreme care". They said they had already attended one black-ice related crash yesterday morning and were aware of another. "Thankfully, no-one has been injured but we want to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely." - By ODT staff and RNZ
Otago Daily Times
15 hours ago
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Winter blasts into South Island
Winter has truly arrived in the South Island, as many state highway routes are closed and warnings remain in place for snow. MetService meterologist Sylvia Martino said Dunedin Airport and Tekapō took out the chilliest spots, at -5°C, overnight, while Christchurch dropped to -1°C. Check state highways here In Otago, snow has closed State Highway 87 between Mosgiel and Kyeburn. The NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi decided to close the road at 5.20pm on Friday, cutting off Middlemarch. It was joined by SH85 (the Pigroot) between Palmerston and Alexandra at 8.15pm. SH85 Alexandra to Kyeburn and Kyeburn to Palmerston are closed and road users should avoid the area if possible, NZTA advised. People are being advised to stay home in Central Otago's Maniototo and upper Manuherekia areas, unless travel is essential, due to heavy snow. In Canterbury, SH80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/Mount Cook, SH79 Fairlie to Gudex Rd, SH8 between Fairlie and Twizel, SH73 Otira to Springfield (Arthur's Pass and Porters Pass) and SH7 Hanmer Springs to Springs Junction (Lewis Pass) are closed. A heavy snow watch remained for inland areas of Canterbury and Marlborough between the Rakaia River and Ward until later this morning. The Milford Road (SH94) in Southland is open with fine and frosty conditions. There's ice and grit especially around bridges and road users are advised to drive with care. MetService meteorologist Samkelo Magwala said the worst of the snow would continue until later on Saturday, as would the risks associated with this weather. "The main driver of the snow is a low east of the South Island and it's propagating the cold suddenly into the region. "As a result, we have this destructive snow which is wet but will remain for quite some time. This is a very good indication that the winter is truly with us." Crown Range Rd closed The Crown Range Road, linking Queenstown and Wānaka, remains closed this morning due to heavy snow. A police spokesman said on Friday they had received calls about "a small handful" of vehicles stranded on the road. A spokesman for the Queenstown Lakes District Council said conditions yesterday and cold overnight temperatures have led to an extremely slippery road surface and crews were applying grit. Meanwhile, road temperatures around the Queenstown Lakes district were sitting around 3°C or below this morning and could potentially lead to ice with the roads being wet. "Grit has been applied on the Devil Staircase and Arrow Junction (SH6), as well as the usual shaded areas and bridge decks." Central Otago In Central Otago, thick snow of up to 30cm has been recorded in Maniototo, meaning essential travel only for road users as well as in Upper Manuherekia where Oturehua, Becks, St Bathans, Wedderburn are affected, a spokeswoman for the Central Otago District Council advised this morning. There are normal winter driving conditions for Omakau, Poolburn, Roxburgh, Cromwell and Alexandra. However, some roads are wet from rain overnight and patches of snow on the high-country roads. "We are expecting temperatures to drop around daybreak causing ice issues, ice likely particularly on bridge decks and shaded spots, reduce your speeds and drive to the conditions. "If your travel isn't essential in Maniototo and upper Manuherekia areas, the advice is to stay at home." Danseys Pass Road is closed (from the gates past the Danseys Pass Hotel) due to snow. "There are a lot of roads affected by this weather system, before you start your journey, please check." Southland The Milford Road (SH94) in Southland is open, with fine and frosty conditions. There's ice and grit especially around bridges and road users were advised to drive with care. NZTA also warned of snow on SH6 between Kingston and Lumsden. Ferries cancelled Cook Strait ferries were being cancelled this weekend because of forecast 6m swells. Interislander had cancelled all passenger sailings for today. Bluebridge had also cancelled all today's sailings and one early tomorrow. Freezing start to Friday It was a freezing start to the day in much of the South on Friday. At 7am, the MetService website showed Mosgiel as officially the coldest centre in the country, on -5°C. Alexandra was -2.5°C, and Queenstown was -1°C. Dunedin was 3°C, only 1°C lower than the warmest places in the South Island - Nelson and Westport which were 4°C. At 10.45am, Mosgiel was still shivering on -1.5°C. Non-official weather station data on the MetService site showed -7°C at Tekapo at dawn, and both the Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes District Councils said temperatures of -6°C had been recorded. The freezing conditions prompted police in the South to issue a warning of black ice on southern roads and to urge motorists to take "extreme care". They said they had already attended one black-ice related crash yesterday morning and were aware of another. "Thankfully, no-one has been injured but we want to ensure everyone gets to their destination safely." - ODT Online, APL and RNZ
