Clearing the snow on SH47 into National Park yesterday. Photo / Tony Gavigan
Clearing the snow on SH47 into National Park yesterday. Photo / Tony Gavigan
KEY POINTS:
Further "significant" falls of snow, plus rain downpours for already drenched areas of the North Island, are being forecast by MetService today.
Forecasters said snow was easing in Westland, Buller and Nelson but more was likely about Fiordland, inland Southland and Otago, and the central plateau.
Meanwhile, furtherbursts of heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms are expected through to Sunday morning about the Tararua Ranges and Mt Taranaki.
MetService said significant rainfall was also likely about the hilly country from inland Taranaki to the central plateau, including the Taupo catchment.
A MetService statement said: "The forecast rainfall amounts for these areas would not ordinarily warrant a warning, but given the already saturated conditions, rivers here will need watching, and slips and local surface flooding are possible.
"Also, it should be noted the precipitation will fall as heavy snow above 700 metres in these areas."
The Radio Network's head weather analyst Philip Duncan said that while the large area of low pressure which has brought three days of rough weather to many parts of the country has weakened, it still has some "punch" left.
He said at lunchtime today: "There's a section south east of New Zealand which is driving some very wintry conditions into Otago and Southland today. There's also a pool of active shower clouds west of central New Zealand and they'll move on to mainly western parts of the North Island this afternoon."
Snowfall has been reported to low levels around Taupo
Tomorrow a small pocket of low pressure is expected to form in the northern Tasman Sea refuelling some more heavy showers for northern New Zealand, Duncan said.
In the South Island, some areas have had their heaviest snow falls in years, according to reports.
Weather Watch analyst for the South Island Richard Green said: "For not the first time this winter, roads are chock full of snow inland and particularly on the Alpine passes on the mainland.
"It has been a big dump higher up and although the situation may improve with an easing of the snow later, any clear conditions tonight, will only make the roads more treacherous with ice forming."
