Unpredictable weather in Southland

Snow falling at Okaka Lodge high on the Tuatapere Hump Ridge Track makes for scenic viewing . . . except it’s meant to be spring.

And, it appears the unpredictable weather is set to stay around for a little longer yet.

It had been snowing high up on the track in Tuatapere yesterday and the Milford Rd in Fiordland was closed from 5pm on Sunday because forecasted snow but had reopened at 11.20am yesterday.

A Tuatapere cafe owner is not surprised by the unpredictability of the Southland weather. Last Light Lodge and Cafe owner Craig Rutland, from South Canterbury, said he had only lived in

Tuatapere for a decade but was used to the weather ‘‘chopping and changing’’.

‘‘That’s Southland weather for you.’’ Rutland said he hadn’t seen any seasonality in the province: ‘‘There is no normality in Southland.’’

He’s had to light the fire on New Year’s Eve and about five years ago, in January, he cooked up a barbecue with water up to his ankles, Rutland said.

While the Milford Road closure meant tourists had to go elsewhere, it had a positive impact on his business. ‘‘We might have a dozen more couples coming in for morning tea, it pushes people down the southern scenic route.’’

MetService meteorologist Paul Ngamanu said spring was known for being changeable. ‘‘We have an unsettled westerly around the country and it’s looking like it’s going to hang around.’’

Fiordland would bear the brunt of the wet weather and it would be wet for most of the week, he said.

Invercargill is expected to reach 12 degree Celsius today and tomorrow.