Bitter chill brings winter white

NZ Herald

25 May, 2015 05:00 PMQuick Read

Snow covers Wellington's Rimutaka Ranges. Snow fell overnight in Wairarapa down to 300m, with New Zealand Transport Agency teams working through the night to keep the Rimutaka Hill Rd open for commuters to Wellington this morning. The foothills near Masterton and Carterton on both sides received a dump, as did the Aorangi Ranges on the southern coast. Although the weather cleared across the Rimutaka and Tararua ranges, snow continued to fall on the eastern foothills during the morning, reaching up to 6cm near Gladstone and Admirals Hill.

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.

Ms Ranger expected freezing levels to rise to higher altitudes today. But the temperature in Auckland is expected to fall to 6C tomorrow.