First Big Taste Of Winter Prompts Warning To Motorists
Potentially heavy snowfalls in the South Island have the NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) urging motorists to exercise caution, especially at higher elevations, and to avoid travel where possible in hazardous conditions.
Metservice says heavy snow is possible in Canterbury from tomorrow above 300m, or possibly lower, through until Thursday, with potential for travel disruption and damage to trees and powerlines. Those planning to travel through SH73 Porters Pass to Otira (Arthurs Pass), SH7 Lewis Pass, or SH8 Burkes Pass to Twizel, are encouraged to check before setting off and plan for any potential disruption.
With large parts of the state highway network across the central and lower South Island being at higher elevations, NZTA System Manager Mark Pinner says motorists need to be prepared and to follow good winter driving habits.
'It's not just snow on the ground that is a potential hazard, it's heavy frosts and ice where the danger may not be as visible. People need to remember to adjust their speed to suit the conditions, to increase their following distances and use their headlights to be seen.'
'If you can avoid or delay travel on roads while there is elevated risk, that's sensible. Stay up to date on the latest reports about the State Highway network by visiting our Journey Planner,' Mr Pinner says.
'We'll be getting the best advice from the Metservice on how the weather is likely to unfold, and we'll be doing our best to keep the highways open and safe for motorists through this cold snap. Being prepared with warm clothing, snacks and water and other supplies in case of delays is always a smart move.'
Heavy rain is forecast to affect Fiordland, and Buller, Grey and Westland Districts between Karamea and Harihari tomorrow, and drivers in those areas are also urged to take care on the roads, plan ahead and be prepared.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
10 hours ago
- RNZ News
Weather: After heavy downpours, more rain and snow forecast
Snow may affect travel and could have an impact on rural communities and farmers. Photo: Supplied / Tanja Clauberg It was nearly nearly the wettest June day on record for Taupō - one of several regions hit by heavy downpours in the last 24 hours. MetService says Taupō was just 0.2mm shy of the June record, with 61.2mm of rain falling in the 24 hours to 9am Thursday. The band of heavy rain that lashed the country overnight has now shifted east away from New Zealand, but MetService warns more wintry weather is on the way. Between Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning several areas experienced brief but intense periods of rain. Scattered showers are expected today - and even sunny spells for some. However, the West Coast of the South Island remains unsettled, with rain and a chance of thunderstorms forecast for later today. Snow has fallen in parts of inland Canterbury with more forecast on Friday and Saturday for Southland, Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough. The heaviest falls are expected above 400 metres but flurries are possible down to 200 metres, including in Queenstown. MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said several heavy snow warnings , watches and road snowfall warnings were in place. "The snow may affect travel and could have an impact on rural communities and farmers. "It's a good idea to prepare ahead of time and allow extra time if you have to head out on the roads." Elsewhere, the weekend promised a mix of showers and drier spells, and windy conditions in Westland where there was a Watch for Strong Winds in place. "Firewood, warm drinks, and plenty of extra layers will go a long way," Makgabutlane said. Temperatures across the South Island were forecast to peak in the low to mid-single digits during the day, with overnight lows well below freezing. Wānaka should brace for a day-time high of just 2C and a chilly low of -6C. The North Island will be feeling the cold too, with a sharp drop in temperatures over the next couple of days. Napier was set to experience a balmy warm 22C today but would struggle to 13C on Friday. Waiouru was only expected to reach 4C this weekend, with highs of 10C in Palmerston North and 13C in Auckland. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
1News
10 hours ago
- 1News
Roof lifts near Wellington, river level peaks near Taupō
Civil Defence says the Tauranga-Taupō River north of Tūrangi has "likely now peaked" and evacuations of homes are unlikely. Earlier this morning the river had "risen significantly and is in flood with all the rain", prompting LandSAR teams to door-knock homes in the area to advise people to prepare to evacuate if needed. In a statement shortly before 9.30am, Civil Defence Taupō said the river had not breached its banks and the water level was expected to begin to fall. "There are around 70 properties in the immediate vicinity of the river although there is a high number of holiday homes. Only 20 properties were occupied for a total of around 35 people," it said. Images of the flooded Tauranga-Taupō River north of Tūrangi this morning. (Source: Civil Defence Taupō) ADVERTISEMENT The agency said there was "no further significant rain in the 24-hour forecast". "But as always people should check the forecast, exercise caution around rivers and stay out of flooded areas. Civil Defence said it still had centres set up to assist people at Tūrangi (Te Mataapuna Sports Centre) and Taupō (Great Lake Centre), which would be stood down as the day progressed. "In addition, with all the wind and rain, a bunch of roads in the northern part of the district have debris on them and crews are out clearing," it said. Emergency services responded to weather-related callouts throughout the North Island. (Source: 1News) About 70 properties were without power this morning on Unison's networks in Taupō and Rotorua, with additional reported outages under investigation. ADVERTISEMENT "Crews are working as safely and quickly as possible to restore power this morning after restoration were delayed overnight due to high winds," it said. 'Nervous times' for Taupō - mayor Civil Defence is knocking on the doors of 70 homes south of Taupō to warn residents a nearby river could burst. (Source: Breakfast) Taupō Mayor David Trewavas earlier told Breakfast there had been significant rainfall in the past 24 hours, but "no evacuations yet". 'There's been a lot of rain up there and it's pretty high. It is in flood, but [the river] hasn't breached its banks yet, but we'll have probably a bit more to update in a couple of hours," he said. Trewavas urged people to stay home today if they were able to. Images of the flooded Tauranga-Taupō River north of Tūrangi this morning. (Source: Civil Defence Taupō) ADVERTISEMENT "Just be really careful, there's a lot of flooding on the road, a lot of surface water." He warned residents to stay vigilant and check Civil Defence and Taupo District Council's Facebook pages for more information. MetService Yesterday, MetService issued a swathe of heavy rain warnings for parts of the country. Speaking to Breakfast, MetService meteorologist Heather Keats said overnight there had been a "very long line of thunderstorms" which began in Northland and travelled to Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty and Taupō. MetService meteorologist Heather Keats. (Source: Breakfast) "As that long line progressed across the regions it dumped severe rain so we're talking 30mm between 10pm and 11pm in Whitianga. ADVERTISEMENT She said Taupō had about 90mm in the last 24 hours, and East Auckland has 25mm to 30mm in just one hour between 8pm and 9pm. "Not surprised to see this rain, fortunately though it is starting to ease back." Keats said most of the watches and warnings had expired today, but some strong wind watches would remain. Still in place was an orange wind warning for Wairarapa and Wellington, a strong wind watch for Hawke's Bay, a heavy swell warning for Kapiti-Porirua Coast, and a road snowfall warning for Milford Rd. "Everyone sort of has showers. The strong winds are still present this morning, but that low is moving out east so its going to clear significantly by this afternoon. But it's going to be replaced by a very cold southerly, so it's going to be very cold," she said. Keats said there would be "well below average temperatures" for many over the weekend. Cold coming, PM's press secretary scandal, science of sleep (Source: 1News) ADVERTISEMENT Flooding in Auckland, wind in Wellington In Tamaki Makaurau, Fire and Emergency New Zealad (FENZ) said there had been 58 weather-related callouts from 6pm yesterday to 5am today across Northland, Auckland, Waikato and the Bay Of Plenty. They said these were mostly for downed trees and powerlines, and flooding in Auckland affecting roads and homes. 1News footage from the Auckland suburbs of Manurewa and Ellerslie showed emergency services responding to flooded roads, with some cordoned off. Emergency services close a road in Auckland's Manurewa following heavy weather. (Source: 1News) In Wellington, a FENZ spokesperson said strong gales lifted the roof of a house in the Wellington suburb of Newlands. ADVERTISEMENT
NZ Herald
12 hours ago
- NZ Herald
Live updates: Hundreds without power across North Island, South Island road snowfall warnings, Taupō flood risk over
Civil Defence is preparing Taupō residents for evacuation because of flooding risks from river flow. Fire and Emergency has had about 60 callouts in Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato. Cold weather follows the wild weather, with snow isolating the Mackenzie Country and temperatures dropping. There has been relief for Taupō residents as the Tauranga-Taupō River river reached its peak and the risk of evacuations subsides. Civil Defence has been knocking on doors in the area, preparing people, as flooding from heavy rain overnight caused the river to swell to breaking point. The deluge across the North Island that began on Wednesday afternoon has seen Fire and Emergency in the upper North Island race to pick up trees off powerlines and homes, and rescue vehicles from floodwaters. Heavy rain and thunderstorms lashed much of the upper North Island overnight but the MetService rain radar shows the worst of the thunderstorms have moved to the west of the country. Taupō's Civil Defence public information officer said 70 properties were at risk of being flooded when the Tauranga-Taupō River flow reached their lakefront settlement near Tuki St. Land Search and Rescue has been knocking and readying people in the vicinity to evacuate. 'The river has already peaked, we are just waiting to see what that impact is for the homes down the river,' Taupō's Civil Defence public information officer said. 'We are telling people to prepare.' Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Fire and Emergency said they had 60 callouts overnight in the Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty and Waikato, mostly for trees coming down on houses, onto powerlines and flooding. He said the flooding was primarily in Auckland and concentrated between 9pm and 10pm. In Wellington, Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Belinda Beets said the service was called to Sunhaven Drive just after 2am after reports that part of a roof had landed on another home. She said there were no reports of injuries and while the occupants had found somewhere else to stay tonight, their roof had been secured using wire. Beets said that just after 5am crews were also called to Carterton after reports that strong gales were blowing flashings off a dairy and another home. She said there had been a 'steady stream' of calls in Bay of Plenty and Waikato. South Island regions isolated by snowfall However, as the wild weather leaves, a cold snap has followed in its wake. Snow isolated areas of the Mackenzie Country this morning, with State Highway 80 from Lake Pūkaki to Aoraki/Mt Cook and SH8 Lake Pūkaki to Fairlie closed after overnight falls. The roads reopened at 7.45am. Most heavy rain and wind watches and warnings are forecast to expire by late morning as the rain moves off New Zealand. MetService forecaster John Law told the Herald that today would be a 'slightly quieter day'. It was the warmest times, it was the coldest times. A Tale of Two Islands. — NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) June 4, 2025 'It will be pretty windy for places like Wellington, Wairarapa and even Auckland,' he said. 'It will be a windy start to the day, but not as windy as yesterday.' Law said the southwesterlies would make for a cold day. According to MetService, Auckland and Hamilton are forecast to reach a high of 19C today. Tauranga is set to peak at 20C while Napier is forecast to reach 22C. However, temperatures are forecast to plummet in the South Island, with Christchurch reaching a high of 10C and a low of -1C and Queenstown hitting a high of 8C and a low of -2C. A snowfall warning is forecast to come into force for Milford Rd (SH94) from 11am to 8pm. 'Two to 5cm of snow may accumulate above 600m on the road with less down to 400m.' Meanwhile, a heavy swell warning is in place for Kāpiti-Porirua Coast to Cape Terawhiti until 3pm. Waves are forecast to reach 3m in the morning, lowering to 1m in the afternoon. Law said temperatures were forecast to keep falling as New Zealand heads into the weekend. 'For most of us, as we head towards the weekend, it's definitely going to feel like June,' he said. 'Places like Wānaka, Alexandra [will have] daytime highs of 3C or 4C and nighttime lows down below freezing.'
