Contractors have been kept busy working to keep State Highway 6 between Makarora and Lake Hawea clear of slips and rockfalls during the past two days.
Heavy rain, which has lashed the Main Divide and head of Lake Wanaka, brought down a large rocky landslide, yesterday morning, and closed SH6, near Makarora until noon.
Snowfalls briefly affected the Crown Range road between Wanaka and Queenstown, yesterday morning, before grit trucks and contractors went to work to clear the mountain pass route.
White-out conditions, driving snow, and high winds forced the cancellation of the Winter Games skier-cross event at Cardrona Alpine Resort, yesterday, after the race was initially postponed because of similar weather conditions on Thursday.
The New Zealand Transport Agency has issued advice to motorists towing caravans, high-sided vehicles and camper vans to exercise caution when travelling on SH8 between Fairlie and Twizel, and SH80 between Pukaki and Mount Cook, because of hazardous high winds.
Metservice has issued a heavy rain warning for the headwaters of Otago's lakes and rivers.
About 150mm of rain is expected in the 18 hours from midnight tonight to 6pm tomorrow, close to the Main Divide.
Severe gale-force winds are also expected to accompany the rain as a large low and active frontal system passes over the lower South Island.
Southern Lakes skifields have all received varying amounts of fresh snow as the first major spring storm hits the region.
