Mountain passes closed due to snow

Snow to sea level, record low temperatures and destroyed crops are possible as cold winds hit the South Island.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council says there have been showers across the district this morning.

Snow has already closed Lindis Pass (State Highway 8) this morning and other closures are expected to be in place during the day.

Snow was cleared on both sides of the Crown Range and chains had to be worn. Arthurs Pass is closed due to snow.

The Central Otago District Council said snow had fallen overnight around the Maniototo and Manuherikia areas, and caution was advised for motorists.

At 7:15 a.m. all highways in the South were open.

MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said a “bitter cold polar outbreak” is expected to lead to a return to wintry conditions today as cold air from Antarctica moves up the South Island.

Snow is forecast to fall up to 200 meters in Otago and Southland, and is expected to drop to sea level in the afternoon, Hines said.

Wind gusts are possible in central Dunedin, with effective temperatures of around 2°C-3°C.

Cold weather is expected to last into tomorrow before turning mostly nice on Friday, although temperatures will remain low over the weekend.

Such a cold snap in early October was unusual and there was potential for record low temperatures, Mr Hines said.

In Invercargill, the maximum temperature today is predicted to be 6°C, while the lowest temperature in October last year was 5.8°C, he said.

A heavy snow guard has been established to the south and snow warnings are in effect on Dunedin’s Northern Highway (State Highway1), Milford Rd (SH94), Crown Range Rd and in the South Island Alpine passes.

Cromwell fruit grower Simon Webb said coping with the cold snap was different from the inversion frost that often hit orchards.

Because it was cold air, frost-fighting wind machines didn’t work as well as systems that worked by sprinkling water over fruit, which most orchards didn’t have.

For those orcharders, “when the wind blows and it goes below zero, there’s nothing you can do,” Mr Webb said.

The worst-case scenario for affected areas was that delicate fruit could be killed and orchards would have to wait another 15 months for the next harvest, Webb said.

Andrew Paterson, a Central Otago highland farmer, said he had recently been given sheared livestock in sheltered paddocks, along with ewes and lambs being herded.

Other animals in the highlands would have to find their own shelter, as it would do more damage once they started lambing, Mr Paterson said.

Southern District Police Chief Inspector James Ure urged people to drive to the conditions by increasing following distances and allowing extra time.

Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency travel manager Tresca Forrester said drivers should follow weather forecasts and pack warm clothes and food when traveling.

Due to the expected high winds, extra attention was also required when driving tall vehicles or RVs, Ms Forrester said.

Dunedin’s deputy election officer Clare Sullivan did not expect a major disturbance to the vote.

A spokesman for NZ Post said all ballot papers received by the councils before noon Saturday will be considered.

Any ballots not delivered to the councils or the two polling organizations, Election Services and Electionz.com due to weather, will be void.

If a council needs additional time due to weather, the electoral organizations may decide to apply to extend the voting period, he said.

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