A heavy dumping of snow has prompted some road closures and seen vehicles trapped in parts of the South Island this morning.
MetService has lifted most of its watches and warnings issued over Labour Day into early this morning, with just one heavy rain warning remaining in place for the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty until this afternoon, and some snow watches and warnings.
It reported that Mount Cook received about 20cm of snow last night, with more to come.
A 1News reporter in Dunedin said half-a-dozen cars had been stuck at Pine Hill overnight.
New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) confirmed four vehicles remained in car parks through the closed section of State Highway 6 between Haast and Makarora overnight, around the Camerons Flat area.
“Those vehicles have been cleared out this morning,” a spokesperson said.
Some road snowfall warnings and heavy snow warnings were issued for parts of the South Island including Canterbury High Country south of SH73, Queenstown Lakes District about and north of Wānaka, and Central Otago about and north of Ranfurly.
Road closures
Shortly before 9am, NZTA shared an updated list of closed state highways due to snow and fallen trees.
These were:
State Highway 6 Inangahua to O’Sullivans BridgeState Highway 6 Haast to Makarora including Haast PassState Highway 8 Lake Tekapo to FairlieState Highway 8 Lake Tekapo to TwizelState Highway 8 Tarras to Omarama including Lindi PassState Highway 80 Mount Cook to Lake Pukaki.State Highway 85 from Palmerston to Kyeburn (heavy snow)State Highway 87 from Kyeburn to Mosgiel (heavy snow)State Highway 94/Milford Sounds Highway between East Gate (Hollyford) and Donne River (Westgate).
“Road users are advised to delay their journeys or avoid the areas,” an NZTA spokesperson said.
State Highway 83 between Omarama and Kurow, which had been closed yesterday, had since reopened.
Power outages in Clutha
Speaking to Breakfast, Clutha District Council said it was managing a State of Emergency due to damaged roads and widespread power outages affecting 2500 properties.
Clutha District Council Group Controller Jules Witt and Clutha District Mayor-elect Jock Martin said some properties in Clutha could still be without power for another week. (Source: Breakfast)
Clutha District Council Group Controller Jules Witt and Clutha District Mayor-elect Jock Martin told Breakfast some properties in Clutha could still be without power for another week.
Martin said the community had come together to support one another in the wake of last week’s bad weather, including isolated and rural residents without power.
“The community has really banded together and set up pop-up community-led welfare centres in the middle of nowhere. The local fire brigades have opened up, so people can share, do their washing and so forth.
“So, yeah, that’s been very challenging times, to be quite honest, really challenging, but the community is banding together,” Martin said.
Witt said they were in the hands of PowerNet, and would support their contractors to get power restored to the remaining properties.
Full watches and warnings list
Heavy Rain Warning – Orange
The eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty – twenty hours from 8pm Monday to 4pm today.
Heavy Snow Warning – Orange
Canterbury High Country south of SH73, Queenstown Lakes District about and north of Wānaka, and Central Otago about and north of Ranfurly – 15 hours from 8pm Monday to 11am today.
Strong wind warning
Chatham Islands – nine hours from midnight Monday to 9am today.
Heavy Snow Watch
Banks Peninsula – eight hours from 5am today to 1pm today.
Road snowfall warnings
Arthur’s Pass (SH73) – 13 hours from 3am today to 4pm today.
Desert Road (SH1) – four hours from noon today to 4pm today.
Haast Pass (SH6) – ten hours from 10pm Monday to 8am today.
Lewis Pass (SH7) – 12 hours from 6am today to 6pm today.
Porters Pass (SH73) – 14 hours from 10pm Monday to noon today.