Snow coated the hills and ranges across Otago and Southland yesterday, enough to gladden the hearts of tourists but not cause major disruptions for motorists and farmers.
It was a cold start to the day in Dunedin, with a frost in the city and snow on the hills.
Rain fell in Balclutha and Milton, but in the rural area of Hillend, hill country farmers woke to find 5cm-10cm of snow settled above 200m.
That was fun for their children, who made snowmen and sleds, but muddy ground and blustery cold winds made it hard work to move dairy cows around later in the day.
The Clutha District Council said this morning that that Hillend/Mt Stuart Rd from FallaBurn to Roberts Rd remained closed. A grader has been sent to clear it.
The following roads are 4x4 only: Owaka Valley, Waipori Rd, the Mahinerangi area and Slopedown Rd.
Road users are advised to drive with care and to the conditions throughout the greater Clutha district network.
There were snow flurries across the Wakatipu, particularly in Arrowtown, Arthurs Point and Fernhill, but settling was short-lived.
Snow on the Crown Range Rd forced its closure to traffic overnight but it reopened about 7.30am, with a requirement to fit chains, after grading and gritting by council contractors.
The Hutchings family, of Auckland, stopped on the Crown Range summit yesterday to play in the snow, despite the subzero temperature, on their way to Queenstown.
Michael Hutchings said snow was part of the fun for his family during their two-week South Island holiday, which included driving down the West Coast and skiing in the Wanaka area.
Russian nationals Artem and Jane Tarasov, also of Auckland, were fitting chains to their camper van on the Crown Range Rd, on their way to Cardrona ski area.
Rough weather had ruined the views at scenic spots such as Wanaka’s Roys Peak Track, but they were enjoying themselves, Mr Tarasov said.
A Southland District Council (SDC) spokeswoman said conditions in the district were wintery, particularly in Wyndham and Te Anau.
An SDC advisory on social media warned of some surface flooding, and snow fell in Te Anau in the morning.
The Milford Road (SH94) has reopened after a heavy dumping of snow yesterday.
The MetService forecasts the southwest flow that covered the country yesterday to ease today, bringing increasing fine spells in Otago and Southland but also gusty westerlies.
