Widespread snowfalls to hit

NZTA

Wintry conditions at the Arthur's Pass rest area shortly before 8.30am on Monday.

Snow which fell across the lower South Island, closing roads and sparking warnings, is set to return, coating alpine passes and South Island highways as well as the Desert Road.

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Snow and black ice had caused closures of a number of South Island mountain passes and highways on Monday.

NZTA

Snow coats the road in this NZTA webcam image of Arthur's Pass from just after 7am Monday morning.

While all had re-opened, the freezing weather was not over, with more snowfalls predicted for Monday night through until Tuesday morning.

The Haast Pass (SH6), Lindis Pass (SH8), Arthur's Pass (SH73), and Porters Pass (SH73) would be affected by snow, as would the Crown Range and Milford roads, MetService warned.

Later Wednesday snow would return again, this time affecting the Remutaka Hill Road in Wellington and the Dunedin to Waitati Highway (SH1) in the deep south.

MetService Meteorologist Sarah Haddon said a cold front was expected to make its way up the South Island on Monday night.

It was expected to bring with it cold temperatures and rain.

"All of the South Island will be effected by it but in terms of Tuesday and Wednesday we are expecting to see a gradual improvement trend."

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A Niwa spokesman said gusty wind, with speeds exceeding 100kmh, was expected 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.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council says there is black ice "across the network", especially Malagans Road, Glenorchy Road, Fernhill Road, around Arthur's Point and Kelvin Heights.

"[Sunday's] rain plus freezing conditions overnight equals hazardous conditions," a spokesperson said.

In East Cape a large slip had closed SH2 Waioeka Gorge in both directions.

MetService said a cold showery southwesterly flow covering the South Island, was expected to spread over the North Island on Monday. Snow was expected down to 200 metres across the lower South Island, especially on Monday night and early Tuesday morning, with some heavy falls above 400 metres.

From eastern Bay of Plenty and the north of Gisborne and also in Buller and the far west of Nelson there was a risk of severe thunderstorms, which would persist in Auckland to Taranaki through to Monday evening, MetService said.

In the south, in coastal Southland, Fiordland and the south of Westland there was a moderate risk of thunderstorms on Monday evening and night, with the forecaster saying storms could be accompanied by strong wind gusts of between 90 to 100kmh, and hail.

The weather was due to settle down late Wednesday or early Thursday.

- Stuff