Snow dusted paddocks as far north as Central Hawkes Bay yesterday after falling heavily on the Rimutaka Hills near Wellington and closing South Island roads.
Sheep were left scouring snow-clad pastures for grass shoots at Kereru, west of Hastings, only about 300 metres above sea-level, while Napier on the coast was hit by sleet and ice.
MetService meteorologist Nicole Ranger said the forecaster had even received a report of snow flakes landing on a Hawkes Bay beach.
Snow also fell on Sunday night down to 300m in the Wairarapa. The bitter cold was made worse further south by lightning and strong winds which cut electricity to Port Chalmers and parts of the Otago Peninsula.
Many parts of Central Otago, including Queenstown, lost power under heavy snow.
