Rug up: another wintry blast is on its way for the South Island, bringing rain, strong winds and heavy snow - including up to 50cm for Southland's Milford Road this week.
MetService this morning issued heavy snow warnings for the Milford Road (State Highway 94), the Crown Range Road, linking Queenstown and Wanaka, and the Lindis Pass (SH8) in Central Otago.
A deep low is forecast to move eastwards just to the south of the South Island on Tuesday night, followed by a strong and cold southwest change.
Watches and warnings for strong wind are in force for many parts of central and southern New Zealand, while heavy rain watches are in force for the West Coast and Fiordland, and also the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago lakes and rivers.
Heavy snow watches are in force for parts of Otago, Southland and Fiordland.
But from midday on Tuesday until 6am on Wednesday, between 30cm to 50cm was expected to settle on the road near the Homer Tunnel, with lesser amounts down to 300 metres.
Snow was also forecast for the Crown Range from midday on Tuesday until 5pm, with up to 4cm settling near the summit, with lesser amounts to 800 metres. On the Lindis Pass (SH8) up to 2cm could settle about 800 metres from 1pm until 6pm.
Another period of snow was likely to affect these roads early on Wednesday morning.
MetService has also issued heavy snow watches for parts of Dunedin, Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago, Southland, Clutha and Fiordland from late on Tuesday night until possibly Wednesday evening.
Snow was forecast for Southland, Clutha and Fiordland to lower to 400 metres from 10pm on Tuesday and down to 200 metres early on Wednesday. Snowfall could be heavy at times above 400 metres, and amounts may approach warning criteria above 400 metres.
For Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and parts of Dunedin from midnight on Tuesday until 10am on Wednesday: snow was forecast to lower to 300 metres early on Wednesday morning and could be heavy reaching warning criteria at times above 500 metres.
Further snow showers were possible for these until Wednesday evening, mainly in the south, and watches may be extended.
Heavy rain and strong winds
Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms are forecast for the ranges of Westland, south of Otira, from 5pm on Monday until 6pm on Tuesday; Fiordland from 1pm today until 2am on Tuesday; the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers from 11am until 5pm on Tuesday, and the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers, about and south of Arthur's Pass, from noon until 6pm on Tuesday.
Rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, MetService warned.
Meanwhile, strong winds were likely for most of the South Island until Wednesday.
A strong wind watch was in place for Fiordland, Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago, and Southland including Stewart Island from 9am today until 9am on Wednesday, and for North Otago, Dunedin and Clutha from 2am on Tuesday until midday on Wednesday.
Northwesterlies were expected to change southwest on Tuesday night, and these winds may approach severe gale in exposed places at times.
Severe gales were also expected for the Canterbury High Country from 3pm today until 3am on Tuesday, the Canterbury Plains from 2am on Tuesday until 4am on Wednesday and Banks Peninsula from 2am on Tuesday until midnight on Wednesday.
MetService meteorologist David Miller earlier told The New Zealand Herald a series of weather fronts would hit in coming days, bringing strong winds, gales and cold nights to much of the country. Although a cold storm was not unusual for the time of the year, “people should be aware of and prepare for it".
The storm was due to a series of fronts spreading around the country followed by cold air.
“It is normal. We have been having such systems coming through for the last few weeks. All of these systems when we have heavy weather warnings and strong wind watches are always concerning, so you have to be prepared for them but it is not unusual at this time of the year.”
Overnight temperatures for parts of the South Island were expected to remain in single digits, he said.
- ODT Online, additional reporting NZ Herald
