Snow, rain, waves batter SC
A wave warning has been issued for the South Canterbury coast as the region hunkers down during a cold and wet storm.
District councils closed a number of roads yesterday as snow blanketed the Mackenzie Country and rain fell elsewhere.
The wave warning from the MetService is valid from 5pm yesterday to 6pm today where southeast combined waves of 3 metres are expected overnight, rising to 4m later.
The MetService says the highest risk period is typically at, or within, one to two hours of high tide. In Timaru high tide today will be at 2.41pm.
MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said 45.2 millimetres of rain had fallen in Timaru, as of 4pm yesterday, and it would continue to rain overnight.
About 25 to 30 centimetres of snow had also fallen at Aoraki/ Mt Cook village, he said.
‘‘Some rain is expected on Wednesday [in South Canterbury], but it won’t be as much as today [Tuesday]. Most of the rain will be in the morning [on Wednesday] followed by chilly south-westerly winds,’’ Hines said.
While showers may return on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were looking to be ‘‘finer and slightly warmer days’’.
The weather also forced the closures of several roads and highways in South Canterbury.
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency closed State Highway 8 from Fairlie (over Burkes Pass) through Takapō/Tekapo to the Lake Pukaki turnoff to SH80 to Mt Cook which is also closed, all because of snow and icy conditions.
While SH8 was open from Pukaki through Twizel to Ō mā rama at 5pm, it was also closed from there on over the Lindis Pass to Tarras and this was expected to be updated this morning.
‘‘No detours are available. Avoid the area or delay your journey if possible,’’ NZTA said.
Other road closures included Mackenzie Pass Rd, Braemar Rd, all fords throughout the Waimate District, Washdyke Flat Rd, Kellands Hill Rd and Brockley Rd.
Department Of Conservation Aoraki operations manager Sally Jones said while the park was not closed, it was inaccessible by car as SH80 and other access roads were closed.
White Horse Hill Campground was also closed.
‘‘We do not recommend that
people try to go hiking in the park currently due to the weather. It has been snowing quite heavily and the forecast for the next few days is unfavourable.’’
Jones said, once the weather has cleared, any visitors who do want to visit the park should be aware they are entering an alpine environment – in the days coming the snow on the ground will become icy and slippery and care will be required.
Timaru District Council communications manager Stephen Doran said it was monitoring the weather situation.
The council is working with Environment Canterbury to monitor river levels and lowlying coastal areas, he said.
‘‘Due to previous flooding and heavy rain events we have worked with coastal places like the Milford Huts, and they have their own response plans, but we will still monitor the situation in those areas.’’
ECan monitoring showed coastal rivers had risen a little by late yesterday but flows will be higher today.
Aleisha Bokser, who has been living in Twizel for three years, said this was the first ‘‘good dumping in a long time’’.
‘‘The weather here is currently still snow, and we have about 15cm of snow, maybe more,’’ she said at 2.40pm yesterday.
Mt Dobson Ski Area was also closed due to heavy snow developing.
‘‘MetService says 115cm with a heavy snow warning and snowforecaster says 49cm,’’ an email from the skifield says.
‘‘We will see what actually falls, fingers crossed.’’
Aoraki/Mt Cook Village resident Sharlene McKinlay said there had been 12cm of ‘‘fresh, very dry snow’’ yesterday morning and there was ‘‘still continuous steady snow falling’’.
She said it was cold but ‘‘still’’. ‘‘Some people have stayed put, others we saw leave. The highway is now officially closed.’’
She said while it was quiet as people were staying inside, it made for ‘‘gorgeous winter conditions’’, and she was looking forward to getting back out in the snow and taking more photos.
Charlie Hobbs, owner of Southern Alps Guiding in the Mt Cook Village, said it was snowing steadily.
‘‘It’s [snow] not heavy now. I guess it will be busy most of the day clearing the roads. The power is still on which is good,’’ Hobbs said.
He estimated there was about 10cm of snow at 9am.
The rubbish bin collections in Lake Takapo/Tekapo have been postponed to possibly tomorrow to allow for road-clearing activity.