Motorists are being warned to be wary of icy roads following a frigid southerly blast which has again affected major highways in parts of the South Island.
State Highway 73 between Springfield and Arthur’s Pass Village and SH8 between Lake Tekapo and Twizel in the Mackenzie Country have reopened after closures early this morning due to snow and ice.
Vehicles including large trucks had been stuck on SH73 for a time this morning.
"While all of the southern state highways are now open again, people are urged to continue to travel with extra care and in accordance with the prevalent winter driving conditions."
In Central Otago, ice is present on the Omakau - Ida Valley Road (Oterehua area), crews have applied grit and will continue to monitor it. Danseys Pass remains closed.
In Queenstown, frost and ice remains a risk, particularly in sheltered spots. A spokeswoman for the Queenstown Lakes District Council advised there was also a build-up of loose grit on the roads following yesterday’s snow event, and people should drive with caution.
Frost and ice is on the Crown Range and Cardrona Valley, and in the Queenstown and Whakatipu Basin areas in shaded spots.
Road snowfall warning
Lewis Pass (SH7)
From 11am until 9pm on Friday: A few showers about and east of the summit, possibly falling as snow above 600 metres. 1cm or less may accumulate above 600 metres about and east of the summit.
Fatal crash on SH6
One person has died following a crash on State Highway 6 in Westland.
The single vehicle crash on the Taramakau Highway, just north of Kumara Junction, was reported about 5.30am today. The driver died at the scene, police later confirmed.
One lane of the highway has re-opened.
Frosty weekend for many
MetService meteorologist Michael Pawley said heavy snow, hail and rain fell over much of inland Otago and Southland yesterday, and today much of that moisture would turn to ice as temperatures dropped below zero.
‘‘It’s looking frosty for many, many areas through to the weekend and into early next week.
‘‘You could even see some severe frosts as far south as Invercargill, with temperatures dropping to -5˚C in some places.
‘‘And the ground can be up to 4˚C below that. So it will be pretty icy, I’d say.’’
He urged motorists to be wary of ice on southern roads for the next few days, at least.
‘‘Even though this low moves off and the severe weather weakens, it’s still going to stay southerly for quite a while, so that’ll keep the air pretty cold - especially for the South Island.
‘‘I don’t think we have a warmer northwesterly building for a little while.’’
Yesterday’s polar blast closed Arrowtown and Poolburn primary schools for the day, and nine inbound and outbound flights at Queenstown Airport were cancelled due to freezing fog.
Heavy snow and ice also stranded some vehicles and closed the Crown Range Road between Queenstown and Wānaka, State Highway 8 (the Lindis Pass) between Omarama and Tarras, Danseys Pass and SH85 between Lauder and Wedderburn.
Black ice and snow also prompted local councils to advise caution when driving in the Ida Valley, Naseby, Becks, St Bathans, the Kawarau Gorge (SH6), Milford Rd (SH94), Wānaka to Haast (SH6), Ranfurly to Omakau (SH85), Centre Hill (SH94) and Parawa (SH6).
Ski fields happy
Despite the disruption, skifields in the Queenstown area were rejoicing.
NZSki chief executive Paul Anderson said at least 15cm of snow had fallen on both The Remarkables and Coronet Peak ski areas, blanketing Coronet Peak and enabling at least the learners’ areas at The Remarkables to open tomorrow.
Staff were working hard to get a chairlift operating at Coronet Peak tomorrow, and a decision about whether The Remarkables could do the same would be made once the storm cleared.
‘‘Our problem today is you literally can’t see - there’s so much snow up there blowing around.’’
Mr Anderson said snowguns were working at both ski areas and would continue for about 36 hours, which would be perfectly timed for the New South Wales school holidaymakers who would be part of the first wave to arrive in Queenstown tomorrow.
While the weather was looking more settled next week, more snow looked likely to arrive next weekend, just in time for the beginning of the New Zealand school holidays, he said.
‘‘We’re hoping that because it [the snow] has come late, it’ll just keep coming.’’
- additional reporting Allied Media
