A major winter storm has provided more headaches for southerners, with snow closing highways, affecting flights and prompting school closures.
Heavy falls continued throughout the South Island today, as temperatures plunged to freezing in some parts of Central Otago.
MetService meteorologist Emma Blades said temperatures reached 0degC in Wanaka and Queenstown.
Forecasters were expecting snow to keep falling through to tomorrow afternoon, she said.
Lines company Aurora Energy warned that heavy snow could create hazards and people should be prepared for the possibility of power cuts. Heavy snow could damage overhead lines, affecting supply.
Roads
The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) advised people to consider if they needed to be on the road tonight and if so, they should choose the safest route.
It said the following roads would be closed overnight: State Highway 94 Te Anau-Milford, SH8 Omarama-Fairlie, SH80 Mt Cook Highway and SH79 Geraldine-Fairlie.
SH85 Alexandra-Ranfurly, SH8 the Lindis Pass Tarras to Omarama and SH6 Haast-Makarora were also closed.
There are cautions in place for SH6 Cromwell-Queenstown, SH85 Kyeburn-Ranfurly and Kyeburn-Palmerston, SH94 Mossburn-Te Anau, SH83 Kurow-Omarama because of snow, while flooding has prompted a caution for SH8 Roxburgh-Ettrick.
- Check highway conditions here
Queenstown felt the early brunt of the chilly blast, and several schools in the resort opted to close today.
Snow has continued to fall in the Southern Lakes area and contractors were out with snowploughs and grit trucks trying to keep roads open.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council said chains are essential on the Crown Range and the road is closed to towing vehicles.
Motorists in the Arrowtown, Arthurs Point, Malaghan Road and Dalefield, Fernhill, Queenstown Hill areas should also carry chains.
State Highway 6 is affected by snow between Arrow Junction and Cromwell, particularly through the Gibbston Valley.
There is surface flooding on Cardrona Valley Rd near Oakridge resort; Gladstone Rd, Hawea, in several places in the vicinity of the Hawea school; Matai Road, Wanaka; and on Lower Shotover Rd.
Motorists in Central Otago are warned the Manuherikia valley and Maniototo are affected by heavy snow. Chains and the use of four-wheel drive vehciles is advised.
The Ida Valley-Omakau Road is closed to towing vehicles and chains are essential. There is widespread snow throughout the valley.
Heavy snow fall has closed the Danseys Pass Rd and snow is also throughout the Waitaki Valley, on the ground from Omarama to Tekapo, including at Mt Cook.
Heavy snow is affecting all roads from the Becks/Lauder/Oturehua area towards Ranfurly and the St Bathans area. Chains should be used where necessary.
Roads around Cromwell, Alexandra and the Teviot Valley have some surface flooding.
NZTA is asking motorists to take extra care. "It's important drivers plan their journey. This means checking the weather forecast, considering if they really need to travel, choosing the safest route - even if it is the longest - and driving to the conditions," journey manager Graeme Hall said.
The agency said even the smallest mistakes and when travelling in snow, ice and frost can see people lose control of their vehicle in a split second, with often disastrous consequences.
At Queenstown airport, Scott Paterson said several flights into the resort were cancelled today.
"At the moment heavy wind and rain are causing cancellations. I would remind you, if you are travelling today you still need to check-in and talk to your airline directly about alternatives. For the latest flight details you can check the airport website," he said (Check flight status here).
Coronet Peak skifield is open - but motorists are advised chains are essential. Cardrona Alpine Resort, however, is closed for today due to blizzard conditions.
More snow coming
Snow flurries were forecast for Dunedin tonight, with 5cm-10cm of snow expected to 300m above sea level.
Central Otago was expected to get 20cm-30cm of snow to 200m from about 10am today, and 1m or more of snow above 700m.
Forecast 24-hour snow accumulation over the South Island to midday tomorrow. http://t.co/5g5AYiYBwb ^EB pic.twitter.com/cADnqbQ7HN
— MetService (@MetService) June 18, 2015
MetService meteorologist Emma Blades said there were two things creating the significant snowfall.
"We've got a warmer moister flow coming over from the Tasman Sea, and because it is warmer air it can contain a lot of moisture.
"As it falls we've got a cold blast from the south which is going underneath it, so as the snow falls it stays as snow, it's not melting, and that's why it is going all the way to the ground."
Snow was also forecast today for the north and west of Otago and the north of Canterbury, southern Otago, Queenstown and the Southern Lakes District. Ms Blades said forecasters were expecting it to keep falling through to tomorrow afternoon.
'Total carnage'
Jim Ryan, from Arrowtown, was forced to find accommodation at a hotel in Omarama for the night, after the Lindis Pass was closed due to heavy snow fall.
Mr Ryan said he was disappointed that it had taken NZTA most of the morning to put a warning on its website.
"We can handle it all right as you can see in Arrowtown, but what I was concerned about was two-wheel drive rental driver owners have no idea how to handle this.
"It was total carnage up the top of the Lindis this morning. There was plenty of warning about this weather bomb that was coming through."
School closures
Wakatipu High School, Remarkables Primary School, Queenstown Primary School, and St Joseph's School were closed today; however, Arrowtown School said on its Facebook page it was remaining open. Mt Aspiring High School was closed.
Children have been pulled out of school early across Central Otago as the region prepared for more bad weather.
Poolburn School, Maniototo Area School, and St Johns School were closed but Omakau School was open, though it had sent children who lived in Becks home due to heavy snow in the valley.
Maniototo Area School principal Patsy Inder said about 3cm of snow had settled in the area but the snow varied between light and heavy falls.
Little chance of flooding
Cold, dry air coming up from the south meeting warmer, wetter northwesterlies over the lower South Island meant ripe conditions for heavy snowfall in the area, Philip Duncan of WeatherWatch said.
"Overnight tonight a southerly comes in, [meaning] snow on the ground tonight. "The average line for snow is 100m, so not everyone will see snow at sea level," he said.
However, single digit temperatures for the rest of the week in Dunedin meant a chilly weekend ahead, snow or no snow.
One silver lining for Dunedin locals was that there was no expectation of a repeat of flooding, Mr Duncan said.
- additional reporting ODT staff, NZME.
