Central Otago emergency services and tow truck operators are already busy dealing with crashed cars, as icy roads have been causing havoc for drivers.
The treacherous conditions, brought on by a blast of wintry weather, have also resulted in more work for panelbeaters, struggling to keep up with the demand to repair damaged vehicles.
MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said roads were expected to ice up, as there were likely to be several consecutive clear nights which could bring the harshest frosts of the winter so far.
"It'll be hazardous for driving."
Emergency services have had several early morning callouts to vehicle accidents recently.
In Wanaka yesterday morning a four-wheel-drive vehicle driven by a 24-year-old local woman flipped on a patch of ice outside tourist attraction Puzzling World.
Emergency services spent almost an hour at the scene attending to the woman, who sustained no serious injuries, and recovering the damaged vehicle.
Wanaka Towing Ltd operator Alex Davis said he was being called out to ice-related incidents on an average of every three days.
Particularly hazardous areas include the sheltered and shady roads of the Maungawera Hill, near Lake Hawea, State Highway 84 into Wanaka between Mt Iron and Puzzling World, and the notorious accident spots of the Crown Range road, he said.
In Queenstown, several motorists have been caught out by snow and ice on the roads.
Malaghans Rd is one of the worst affected areas, and is well-known among local residents for its black ice during winter Queenstown Collision Centre manager Alan Britland said business yesterday was up by 25% on a normal Monday.
He said most vehicles brought in had minor damage after drivers came to grief on icy roads and he was expecting the business to get even busier over the next few weeks.
Queenstown Panel Beaters owner Simon Walton said he had fewer jobs in yesterday than he would have expected if the snow has fallen on a week day when people had to go to work, but he expected to become busier.
"As soon as it gets icy, we're away."
Mr McDavitt explained that overnight low forecasts issued by the MetService were for air temperatures, not groundtemperatures (frosts).
"Frosty ground is usually three or four degrees cooler than the overnight low, so our forecasts for -2degC to -3degC for a place like Queenstown until Thursday indicate -6degC and -7degC of frost."
Alexandra and its surrounding townships have escaped relatively lightly so far from the effects of the chilly weather, with panelbeaters reporting little damage.
Vincent Holdings Ltd director Albie Robertson said the business had dealt with only three incidents of minor damage so far this season, which happened about three weeks ago when frosts were heavy and snow fell.
