Southland in for wintry blast

Southland can say goodbye to the mild winter, with snow expected down to 200 metres across most of the district.

MetService issued a weather warning yesterday saying southwest gales were expected to develop over parts of Otago and Southland overnight or this morning. ’’Southwest gales should develop about exposed parts of Southland and Otago, particularly near the coast from Stewart Island to the Otago Peninsula before dawn Friday morning then ease around midday.

Heavy westerly swells and large waves were expected to develop on the western coasts of both islands.

Te Anau could expect scattered rain with snow lowering to 200 metres, with temperatures expected to drop below zero overnight last night.

Southern Police issued motorists with a warning ahead of the weekend advising that extra care needed to be taken on the roads with the winter season arriving.

District road policing manager Inspector Tania Baron said much of the country has had a mild winter, but the Southern region was ‘‘well and truly feeling the winter in full force’’.

Motorists need to take into account that the friction that keeps cars on the road is reduced considerably in icy and wet conditions, Baron said.

State Highway 94, Milford Road, was closed with 25cm to 35cm of snow expected near the Homer tunnel by midnight last night.

About 3cm to 5cm of snow may have settled about the top of Haast Pass by midnight last night. A further 1cm to 2cm of snow was possible on the Lindis Pass last night.

The NZ Transport Authority were monitoring SH1, from Pine Hill to Waitati, with the highway open, but an update was expected at 7am today.