Snow has closed roads and ski fields, sparking warnings to motorists in parts of the south as a winter blast makes its way.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council says the Crown Range Road has been closed between Eastbourne and Cardrona “due to heavy snowfall and an underlying layer of sleet”.
The council said the alternative route through Kawarau Gorge was open but was also affected by snow, urging motorists to exercise caution.
“Make sure you take your necklaces everywhere on the network.”
The Lindis Pass (State Highway 8) was closed for a while due to heavy snowfall. In an update at around 10:30 am, Waka Kotahi said the Lindis Pass had reopened, but chains were essential. The transport agency also announced that due to heavy snowfall and fallen trees, the Haast Pass (SH6) between Hawea and Haast was closed.
Updates on the Crown Range and SH6 were expected this afternoon.
The snow has also forced the closure of a number of ski fields. Cardrona Alpine Resort, the Remarkables, Treble Cone and the Snow Farms are all closed. Coronet Peak says it’s open and all vehicles must wear chains.
At 06:52 Cardrona reported blizzards with 120 km/h winds at the summit. The resort has received more than 6 inches of fresh snow in the last 24 hours.
In Wanaka itself, locals woke up to a winter wonderland, with an estimated 4-5cm of snow falling in some places.
This is the second snowfall to hit the city this winter, after the June 13 storm.
‘Again very unpredictable’
Waka Kotahi’s travel manager for Canterbury and the West Coast, Tresca Forrester, told RNZ the South Island’s highways were hit by unpredictable weather.
“We have a system that is coming through today and then more snow is forecast tomorrow through the highland in Canterbury and we expect some more through the Mackenzie (District) and Central Otago, but we also have rain and another Monday next week. new system.
“Most importantly, the weather is very unpredictable, many people will be out on the road in the next 24-48 hours and over the next week we are urging people to take plenty of time to pay extra attention and constantly check the road- and weather conditions before they leave,” said Forrester.
She said crews were willing to deal with any problems, and the closed roads allowed snow to be plowed and cleared faster.
She urged motorists traveling to the lower South Island to wear chains, as many of the roads in the area are covered in ice, if not snow, especially on mountain passes.
Since many people would be traveling to Dunedin for the All Blacks test game against Ireland, Forrester advised those going to the game from Christchurch to follow the State Highway 1 route along the east coast.
† ODT Online//Aspen Bruce – additional reporting RNZ