Otago highway closed as wintry blast hits South

One Otago highway is closed and there are reports of flooding and snow on others in the South as a forecast cold snap hits the mainland.

State Highway 87 is closed between Middlemarch and Outram because of snow, NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) said on Wednesday evening.

The highway would remain closed overnight.

Shortly after 8pm on Tuesday NZTA advised that flooding had closed a section of SH96 at Oreti Plains near Winton in Southland.

The agency also said there was snow and ice on the the Lindis Pass (SH8) and SH85 between Omakau and Kyeburn.

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NZTA earlier said roading crews had been out assessing snow on SH6 between Lowther and Parawa in Southland, and grit trucks were in operation.

NZTA said surface flooding had been reported in places across SH96 and SH99. 

"Most recently, surface flooding has been reported on State Highway 1 in central Dunedin.”

 

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MetService has multiple road snowfall warnings in place for the South Island’s alpine passes, and a general heavy snow watch is in place for Central Otago, Queenstown Lakes District and the Mackenzie Basin until early on Thursday.

Heavy rain watches have been issued for the ranges of the Westland District and the Buller District.

— Allied Media