Snow forces stretch of SH5 to close

Kieran Wills, farm manager, with dogs Ice and Meg, in the snow near Glenross Rd, Waiwhare, off the Napier-Taihape Rd. Photo / Duncan Brown

The first severe southerly cold front of the winter saw the "highway closed" signs go up on State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupo yesterday as snow fell across the Titiokura range, west of Napier.

It was both the first major snowfall across the stretch as well as the first closure of the year.

Contractors using graders and snow removal machinery worked around the clock to clear the worst affected areas and had the highway reopened by 1.15pm.

While the heaviest falls were on the Taupo plateau side, the southerly front did push the white stuff into the Bay.

"We had a fair bit in some areas across the Titiokuras," New Zealand Transport Agency Hawke's Bay state highways manager Chuck Dowdell said.

The decision to close the highway at both the Napier and Taupo ends was made about 6am as conditions worsened, and the first priority for contractors and NZTA crews was to ensure those vehicles already on the highway were able to all make it through.

That mission was successful.

"No one was stranded up there," Mr Dowdell said.

He said conditions had begun to clear by late morning and the situation had been monitored "by the hour".

The improving weather and clean-up efforts saw the highway reopened in early afternoon, although the NZTA had words of warning for motorists intending to travel it.

"Take extra care and expect winter driving conditions," Mr Dowdell said.

He advised people planning to travel north to check for updates on the agency's website, as freezing conditions were expected to continue today.

He said people should use it "only if absolutely necessary" as there was still the prospect of ice building up in some areas.

There were no weather-related issues on other highways through the Bay.

While snow showers had begun to ease yesterday, MetService forecasts for today show a "moderate confidence" of heavy snow above 500 metres for eastern areas as well as the central high country as cold, showery southerlies continue to sweep north.

There was a chance it could be accompanied by lightning and thunder in the afternoon.

Today's daytime high is just 8C.

The weather is set to ease off tomorrow, with a fine weekend on the cards for the Bay, although temperatures will remain in the low teens and frosts are expected.

Waiwhare farm manager Kieran Wills was working above the 500m snowfall yesterday. While the dry winter raised a few concerns, it was more the freezing temperatures he was worried about.

"We're going to need rainfall before spring but we could get enough within a week, so it's not too serious. It's mainly temperature that's the issue stopping growth."

The lowest overnight temperatures recorded so far this winter were 0.2C in Napier on June 26 and -1.4C in Hastings on June 18, according to MetService.

Niwa's coldest recorded temperature for the cities is -3.9C in Napier, though that date is unknown.