Rewind to winter SNOWMEN IN SOUTH
Winter has come to Southland again with a temperature dip and snow falling in the north of the region yesterday. MetService issued a severe weather watch for inland Southland, warning snow was expected to lower to 300 to 600 metres in some areas. State Highway 94 Te Anau to Milford Sound was closed most of the day and was expected to remain closed most of today. MetService meteorologist Matthew Ford said a front hovering over Stewart Island was making its way up the South Island and the cold southerly would remain for the rest of the week. Read more
While those in the south frolicked in a winter wonderland, it was sunglasses and jandals up in the north – temperatures soaring over 20 degrees Celsius in some places.
MetService issued a severe weather watch for inland Southland yesterday morning, saying snow was expected to lower to as much as 600 metres in some areas where snow accumulations may approach warning criteria. And places such as Timaru, Lauder and Dunedin dropped 6-7C in one hour, according to Niwa.
Meanwhile in Napier, the sun shone all day long, bringing with it the highest temperature in New Zealand – 22C.
Back in the chilly south, the NZ Transport Agency closed State Highway 94 Te Anau to Milford Sound for the day because of all the snow, and it was expected to be closed until at least noon today.
A staff member at the Five Rivers Cafe, between Queenstown and Te Anau, said snow was falling in the area and there had been plenty of people stopping in for lunch but it didn’t appear the snow was holding anyone up.
MetService meteorologist Matthew Ford said a front hovering over Stewart Island was making its way up the South Island and the cold southerly would remain for the rest of the week.
In the east, it was expected to reach Marlborough by midnight, while in the west it was a bit more complicated but rain was expected to spread north, he said.
‘‘Particularly in the east, with winds turning southerly, it gets very cold in the south. With all that rain falling, we’re forecasting it turning to snow at relatively low levels over southern parts of the South Island today [Wednesday].’’
MetService is forecasting snow lowering to 600m over the central North Island tomorrow, with southerly gales about the centre of the country, and southerlies making it to Northland by Saturday.