Snow, ice chase spring away

The Dominion Post

Snowfalls have caused traffic chaos in the lower North Island and laid on a frosty welcome for spring lambs.

MetService forecaster Derek Holland said yesterday's chilly easterly blast brought record low temperatures to the Kapiti Coast and single-figure lows to the rest of the region.

The thermometer in Paraparaumu barely nudged 8 degrees Celsius - the lowest maximum temperature recorded in September since records began in 1993.

The Rimutaka Hill Road was closed from just after 4pm because of heavy snow, which fell as low as 200 metres in the Tararua Range, Wairarapa, Wellington, southern Manawatu and Central Hawke's Bay.

Snow was also expected to hit relatively low levels in parts of Nelson, Marlborough and North Canterbury.

Temperatures stayed in the single digits in Wellington yesterday, with a high of nine degrees recorded in Kelburn.

Heavy rain in the capital may have contributed to at least one nose-to-tail crash, which briefly closed the Mt Victoria Tunnel in the afternoon. One lane of The Terrace Tunnel was also blocked by a breakdown just after 4pm.

Wairarapa experienced an unusually chilly spring day with a top temperature of 7C in Masterton, the lowest in 17 years.

Snow made the going difficult for motorists in the Manawatu Gorge, Pahiatua Track and Norsewood areas, and high winds were reported on State Highway 1 between Sanson and Foxton and in the Ashhurst area.

State Highway 1, north of Bulls, was affected by flooding.

Mr Holland said residents in the central North Island and Bay of Plenty should watch for rising rivers and streams and surface flooding.

"Over the lower North Island and upper South Island, the combination of cold rain or snow and strong winds is likely to be stressful to vulnerable stock, and farmers in these areas should consider moving stock to shelter."

Satellite pictures showed particles from Sydney's dust storm drifting across the north of the North Island yesterday, ushered in by the low from across the Tasman, but Mr Holland said it was being dampened down by rain.

"It might just look like a hazy day."

Fresh southeasterlies were predicted to bring more rain and chilly temperatures to the Wellington region today but showers should gradually ease tomorrow.

STRANDED IN SNOW

Masterton friends Robyn MacKay, left, and Cassandra Christiansen spent 1 1/2 hours stranded at the Rimutaka Hill Road summit after snow closed in as they headed home after a day shopping.

"We'd already stopped the car because it was getting scary when we heard they had closed the road," said Ms MacKay, 20.

"It was freezing, we only had one blanket."

They left Wellington about 3.30pm and it was nearly 6pm when they got home.

"After they cleared the road, we took another half hour to get down the hill because it was such slow going."