Icy blast intensifies as MetService issues heavy snow warning

More snow is set to hit New Zealand, after an early morning dusting on Monday closed roads, including the Desert Rd, and sparked warnings when it coated alpine passes in the South Island.

While all roads reopened later on Monday, more overnight snow was expected to cause further disruption for road users on Tuesday morning. 

Have you been affected by the snow? Send your photos, videos and newstips to newstips@stuff.co.nz.

MYTCHALL BRANSGROVE/STUFF

MetService are advising people to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case parts of this watch are upgraded to a full warning or new areas are added.

MetService issued a heavy snow watch for parts of the lower South Island with snow levels expected to drop as low as 200 metres. 

MetService advised people in Fiordland, Southland, Clutha and Otago to keep up with the latest forecasts in case parts are upgraded to a full warning.

TVNZ

Morning snow and black ice makes conditions hazardous for driving, as seen here in Queenstown.

"A strong southwest flow blankets the country dragging up cold air from off the ice," Metservice Meteorologist Mark Bowe said. 

"The cooler temperatures  and stronger winds will make wind chill a more significant factor this week."

A Niwa spokesman said gusty wind, with speeds exceeding 100kmh, was to hit exposed and coastal areas of Otago on Monday night and the North Island on Tuesday.

The excessive winds would cause an increased risk of power outages and possible wind chill temperatures of near or below zero degrees celsius, he said.

Black ice closed roads in the Queenstown Lakes region, and could plague the lower South Island again on Tuesday."Wet roads with minimum amounts of sunlight during these winter days and dropping temperatures makes icy roads a primary concern," Bowe said. 

"Driving conditions will be hazardous on some of the higher mountain passes, so we advising people to take care."   

The strong and gusty southwest flow with several embedded troughs brought showers and heavy thundery falls with hail for western and southern parts of the country, he said. 

Further north, snow levels are forecast to drop to 700m for the Central Plateau with heavy showers expected for western and central areas of the North Island. 

On Tuesday, more cold wintry showers with possible thunderstorms in some coastal regions, and snow levels  lowering to 100m in the deep south of the country during the morning.  

Temperatures are set to plummet for all the main centres, with Auckland and Northland getting down to 4-6C with strong gusting winds while the capital is expecting gale force southerlies and showers. 

By Wednesday, a ridge of high pressure builds over the country bringing clear skies and light winds which, with pre-existing snowfall on the ground, will bring down the overnight minimum temperatures for most parts of the country.