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RNZ News
2 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Cook Strait ferries cancelled as 6m swells forecast, snow descends on South Island
Lakes Camp and Clearwater near Ashburton were blanketed with snow on Friday morning. Photo: Ashburton District Council An updated forecast from MetService has pushed back the expected start time for snowfall to sweep the South Island on Friday. The fresh surge of winter weather was expected to descend on the South Island on Friday , bringing snow, sub-zero temperatures and the risk of travel disruption. Central Otago had now been downgraded from an earlier heavy snow warning to a heavy snow watch starting at 2pm. But inland Canterbury south of the Rakaia River remained under a warning, with heavy snow possible above 400 metres from 2pm. Heavy snow watches were also in place on Friday afternoon for southern Marlborough, Queenstown Lakes District, and the rest of inland Canterbury. A strong wind watch was in effect for Westland District from 6pm. Snow flurries had already been recorded earlier on Friday in the Mackenzie Country and Queenstown. Lakes Camp and Clearwater looked stunning after heavy snowfall. Photo: Ashburton District Council Ashburton District Council said late Friday afternoon the Gorge Road was now closed at Mount Somers township because of snow. "If you're planning to travel this weekend, please pay attention to the weather forecast and drive to the conditions." Meanwhile, Cook Strait ferries were being cancelled this weekend due to forecast 6m swells. Interislander had canned all passenger sailings for Saturday due to the conditions. "All passengers are being moved to alternative sailings," it said on its website. Cook Strait ferries are being cancelled this weekend due to forecast swells. Photo: Supplied Bluebridge had also cancelled all Saturday sailings, and one in the early hours of Sunday morning. "We are monitoring the situation closely, and if further sailings are impacted, we will notify you via text and email at the earliest opportunity," the operator told customers. The MetService said waves could reach swells of 6m on Saturday, with a warning lasting to Sunday morning. Wellington Region Emergency Management said the 6m swells could bring flooding and debris onto roads around high tide. An orange swell warning was in place on Wellington's south coast through to coastal Wairarapa. It said drivers and walkers on coastal roads, as well as surfers, divers and fishers, should take extra care. More to come. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Climate
- RNZ News
Weather: South Island prepares for heavy snow, sub-zero temperatures to strike
Lake Tekapo has already been hit by heavy snow. Photo: Supplied / Tanja Clauberg A fresh surge of winter weather is set to descend on the South Island on Friday, bringing snow, sub-zero temperatures and the risk of travel disruption. Authorities are urging caution as road conditions turn slippery and alpine areas brace for heavy snowfall. Metservice issued weather warnings covering most of Te Waipounamu on Friday. Meteorologist Lewis Ferris said the heaviest snowfall was expected in high, inland areas. A snow warning was in place for Central Otago and areas of Canterbury south of the Rangitata River for 9am Friday until midnight. "These areas do look most likely to see some heavy snow throughout Friday, running into the night time and maybe just tipping over into Saturday as well," he said. MetService said 15-25 centimetres of snow could accumulate above 500 metres elevation - and that could mean travel disruption and possible damage to trees and powerlines. In Queenstown Lakes District a heavy snow watch was in place between 9am and 9pm Friday, with snow possible down to 400 metres. A heavy snow watch was also issued for Canterbury north of the Rangitata River and southern Marlborough from 4pm on Friday until 8am on Saturday. Temperatures across the southern half of the South Island were expected to dive into the negatives, and remain low for most of the weekend. "A lot of people will have noticed a real chill to the air," Ferris said. "It looks like the South Island, even parts of the North Island, will feel the chills through the weekend. Some places even into the middle of next week, especially around Central Otago, places like Alexandra, might be fighting to get out of those negatives even through the daytime," he said. Lake Tekapo after overnight snow dump. Photo: Supplied / Tanja Clauberg Authorities urged drivers to factor in the wild weather, and prepare for potential road closures. Ferris said Metservice had issued road snowfall warnings for a number of alpine passes. "Conditions could be quite treacherous, so it's going to be one of those things to check in with the Transport Agency, see if there are any road closures," he said. Metservice said snow could accumulate on the Crown Range, the Lindis Pass, the Haast Pass and on the Dunedin to Waitati Highway. In Canterbury, snow was also expected to settle on Porters Pass, Lewis Pass and Arthurs Pass. Civil Defence Emergency Management Canterbury said people who needed to travel should carry snow chains, sleeping bags, warm clothing and emergency items. "If driving, please remember to switch your headlights on, increase your following distance and be prepared for unexpected hazards," it said. Ferris said people should exercise caution even in areas where there was no snow expected. "Plenty of frosts will be forecast around the South Island. So it could just be a case of taking a little bit easier if you have to be doing any morning travel through the weekend," he said. The warnings follow two highway closures in inland Canterbury on Thursday. Both State Highway 8, between Lake Pukaki and Fairlie, and State Highway 80, between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki-Mount Cook, were closed due to heavy snow. New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi said both closures were short-lived and the impact was not widespread. The agency said it would be working with its partners to keep a close eye on the State Highway network around the south and would be responding with its crews as required. It also noted a risk of potential severe gale force southeast winds in Westland on Friday afternoon, and encouraged motorists to be prepared. Central Otago and inland Canterbury, from the Rangitata River southwards are under an orange heavy snow warning. Photo: MetService/Supplied The sub-zero temperatures and potential snow are bringing added stress to farmers and their livestock. In Tapanui - near Gore - Federated Farmers' Otago president Luke Kane has been getting his farm and animals ready. He told Morning Report the drop in temperatures and heavy snow didn't come as a surprise for this time of the year. "It is winter after all. We normally would anticipate two to three of these storms for us throughout the winter and this may be the first one." Preparation was key when these types of snow storms hit, including putting out few extra hay bails, utilising shelter and making sure staff were safe and well feed, Kane said. "We make sure that we have got everything for the next few days pretty well prepared for the cows so we are not having to run tractors around in the mud or snow if it does come. "Most people are pretty well climatised to this type of thing down here." Kane said most farmers had mostly recovered going into winter after a "horrendous spring in the lower South". "Ground conditions are pretty fantastic really and it's shaping up to be okay at this point." He said he hoped people would use their common sense as the chill moved in. "There's always a hope for common sense but it doesn't always prevail right," he laughed. The cold snap could bring a welcome coating of snow for ski areas approaching their winter opening dates. The forecast showed Canterbury's Mt Hutt ski field, which abandoned plans to open early last month , could have a 50 centimetre top up. It was aiming for an opening date of 13 June. There was more than 50 centimetres of snow in Friday's forecast for some Arthurs Pass ski areas, such as Porters and Mount Cheeseman, and for Mackenzie Basin ski areas including Mount Dobson and Roundhill - all set to open later this month, or in early July. Ski fields in the Queenstown Lakes Area - set to open on 14 June - were all in line for a smaller dusting of about 10 - 15 centimetres on Friday. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Forbes
12-05-2025
- Forbes
Newark Airport Updates: Here's The Latest As Crisis Disrupts Flights
Three radar glitches in two weeks between air traffic controllers and planes they were guiding into New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport—along with a staffing shortage—have prompted Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to warn of more potential disruption as the busy summer travel season approaches. Most flights into Newark Liberty International Airport were being delayed at their origin airports by more than an hour and 40 minutes Monday due to an air traffic controller shortage, The New York Times reported. Nearly one in five flights scheduled to land at Newark on Monday had been delayed as of 2:10 p.m. EDT, according to data from FlightAware. On Sunday, May 11, Newark airport experienced a third equipment failure in two weeks, leading to another ground stop and sparking reactions from public officials including Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who said the airport should scale back its operations. An air traffic control equipment outage that lasted about 45 minutes led to a grounds top at the airport and prevented flights going to Newark from taking off, CNN reported. On May 9, a 90-second telecommunications outage around 4 a.m. affected communications and radar display at Philadelphia terminal radar approach control tower (TRACON) Area C, which guides aircraft in and out of Newark Liberty International Airport airspace, the FAA said in a statement. The two incidents followed an initial outage on April 28, which caused air traffic controllers to lose contact with a United Airlines flight for roughly 30 seconds, 'with the aircraft under their control, unable to see, hear, or talk to them,' according to a statement provided to Forbes by the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA), the union representing the country's 10,400 air traffic controllers. A 'current veteran controller' who wished not to be identified by name told NBC News that controllers guiding planes into Newark airport have lost radar contact with pilots 'at least eight or nine times in recent months' and on at least two other occasions since August. 'What you see in Newark is going to happen in other places across the country,' Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said during an interview Sunday on NBC's 'Meet the Press With Kristen Welker, adding, 'I'm concerned about the whole airspace.' Duffy characterized the equipment as safe, but old. 'We have redundancies, multiple redundancies in place to keep you safe when you fly,' Duffy told Welker. 'But we should also recognize we're seeing–we're seeing stress on an old network, and it's time to fix it.' To compensate for a shortage of air traffic controllers and the recent tech failures, FAA is managing the flow of traffic at Newark with a 'ground delay,' which limits the number of flights in and out of the airport. In addition, United Airlines, has cut 35 roundtrip flights per day from its Newark hub. On 'Meet the Press,' Duffy said Newark '100%' needs to scale back its operations, noting: 'We have less controllers working the Newark airspace right now. And, you know, we're having these–these glitches in the system. So we slow it down and keep people safe, that's what we do.' Air traffic controllers in a terminal radar approach control tower (TRACON) at Philadelphia International Airport are responsible for directing aircraft in and out of Newark Airport. This TRACON had been operating with 22 fully certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training, but four air traffic controllers have been on trauma leave since the April 28 incident. In the larger context, the FAA is challenged by a decades-long shortage of air traffic controllers. In February, Duffy unveiled a plan to 'supercharge' the hiring of air traffic controllers to shave 'more than four months off the old process.' But it can take nearly four years to become a certified ATC, including spending several months at the FAA Academy in Oklahoma City, then completing up to three years of on-the-job experience before becoming certified, according to the FAA website. Last week, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) unveiled a plan to upgrade the FAA's communications system, the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS). At this time, telecommunications lines feed data from STARS in New York to the TRACON at Philadelphia International Airport, where controllers handle Newark arrivals and departures. The FAA's plan involves adding three new, high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York-based STARS and the Philadelphia TRACON 'to provide more speed, reliability and redundancy,' and to establish a STARS hub at the Philadelphia TRACON so that it no longer depends on a telecommunications feed from the New York STARS hub. The improvements will be implemented 'in the coming weeks and others in the coming months, and all by the end of the year,' an FAA spokesperson told Forbes. Duffy has called for Congress to allocate tens of billions of dollars to overhaul America's strained air traffic control system and replace its antiquated technology. Duffy said his agency would build a new air traffic control system 'in three to four years' but needed Congress to make that happen, adding, 'we need all of the money up front.' Newark Airport is open Monday, but again under a ground delay, with flights going into Newark delayed an average of only 19 minutes, according to the FAA's National Airspace System dashboard. Some airlines are issuing travel waivers allowing you to rebook a flight without a change fee. United Airlines, for example, which has a major hub at Newark, is allowing passengers flying in or out of the airport through May 23 to switch to a flight on another day at no extra charge. American Airlines' travel alert covers flights scheduled through Newark up until May 14 and JetBlue Airways allows passengers flexibility for flights scheduled through Newark until May 31. It's always a good idea to download your airline's app to monitor your flight's status and sign up for text notifications. In the event of a delay or cancellation, the app is often the fastest path to rebooking another flight. FlightAware can let passengers know if your plane is on schedule. Enter your flight information, and then click 'Where is my plane now?' under the flight number. You'll be able to see if the plane is ahead of schedule, on time or behind schedule and can take action accordingly. Newark Airport Crisis: FAA Announces Upgrade Plan For Communication System (Forbes) FAA Announces 'Hiring Supercharge' For Air Traffic Controllers—But Don't Expect An Immediate Fix To The Shortage (Forbes)
Travel Weekly
09-05-2025
- Travel Weekly
FAA pledges fixes for Newark, but disruptions could continue
The FAA said it would take a series of immediate steps to shore up air traffic control (ATC) system failures that forced the agency to slow arrival rates at Newark Liberty Airport. But travelers flying from, to or through the large New Jersey airport still might endure a long summer of travel disruption. "Our airspace is the safest because if there are issues, we don't fly," Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a press briefing addressing the Newark situation. Cancellations and delays in Newark started mounting on April 28, after the Philadelphia facility that has managed Newark air traffic since last summer lost radar and radio communications with aircraft for 90 seconds, forcing planes into a holding pattern. The incident so rattled controllers working that shift that four have taken short-term trauma leave, the Wall Street Journal reported. Controller radios went out again for a brief time later that week. Since then, the FAA has managed congestion at Newark by implementing frequent ground delay programs, which have frequently caused average delays of several hours, in part due to staffing shortages. Flight cancellations also mounted as airlines, especially hub carrier United, adjusted to keep their broader operations on track. In the days since April 28, cancellations at Newark often exceed 10% of flights, according to flight tracker FlightAware. Notably, United thinned its Newark operation by removing 35 flights from its daily schedule. ATC technology problems, though the most concerning cause, aren't the only factor behind Newark's operational crunch. Even in normal times, the airport is capacity challenged, and its ATC facility is understaffed. That situation led the FAA since the fall of 2023 to allow airlines to fly up to 10% less at Newark than would typically be required in order to retain their allotment of daily departure and landing rights, called slots. Runway construction, which lasts until June 15, is also substantially impacting traffic flow at Newark. What the FAA will do In a May 7 statement, the FAA laid out steps it is taking to resolve Newark's ATC technology issues. The agency said the system that processes its radar data is based in New York, and telecommunication lines feed that data to the Philadelphia facility that handles arrivals and departures. Immediate steps to be taken include adding three high-bandwidth telecommunications connections between the New York and Philadelphia facilities to improve speed and reliability; replacing copper telecommunications connections with updated fiber-optic technology; and deploying a temporary backup system to the Philadelphia facility that will provide redundancy during the switch to the fiber-optic network. The FAA also said it will establish a new radar data processing facility in Philadelphia so that data will no longer have to be transmitted from the New York hub. Boosting staffing will also be key, though it may not be a quick fix. The FAA said the Philadelphia facility has 22 fully certified controllers and 21 controllers and supervisors in training, including 10 who are receiving on-the-job training. "We have a healthy pipeline, with training classes filled through July 2026," the agency said, but it did not lay out plans for any immediate Philadelphia additions. Since taking over the DOT in January, Duffy has aggressively called for funding to modernize an antiquated U.S. air traffic control system and has said Newark's ATC failures are symptoms of its aging. A September 2023 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office detailed 58 unsustainable or potentially unsustainable FAA systems that have "critical operational impacts on the safety and efficiency of the national airspace." The DOT secretary held a press conference on May 8, detailing a proposal to devote tens of billions of dollars to overhaul the ATC system over the next three to four years. The 2025-26 budget proposal put forward by the White House in early May requests $5 billion for national airspace system upgrades, including a $450 million down payment on a multiyear, multibillion-dollar radar replacement. United's response United, along with trimming its schedule, responded to the latest problems plaguing Newark by calling for the airport to be placed back under the stricter slot regime, called Level 3, that was in place until 2016. At that level, airline movements, schedules and schedule changes are more tightly managed than at Level 2 airports, Newark's current status. An Embry-Riddle University study published last year in the Economics of Transportation journal found that the 2016 change led to increases in late arrivals at Newark by up to 23 minutes on average and that the share of late arrivals increased up to 14 percentage points. Airline industry consultant Bob Mann of RW Mann and Co. said United CEO Scott Kirby's call for stricter slot rules at Newark could be self-serving, since it would help preserve United's dominant position there. Mann said United should do a better job of coordinating, prioritizing and timing its aircraft during peak Newark arrival times in order to reduce overloads that the ATC has to manage. "You can either be an airline that throws 52 cards on the floor and tells the FAA to pick them up or you can give the 52 cards ordered by suit or rank, and the FAA will pay attention to them," he said.
