North to feel winter's chill after southern areas hit by snow and ice

Snow blankets Southland. Photo / Supplied by Aaron Chevin

• Snow expected for Christchurch and Dunedin
• Sleety showers forecast for Wellington CBD, snow for surrounding hills
• Rain turning to snow forecast for Hawkes Bay
• Motorists warned to take care on roads

A wintry blast from the south will bring snow to many parts of the country today as black ice on Southland roads causes danger for drivers.

Snow was also expected to fall in Christchurch and Dunedin, and could make its way further north to the Wellington region and Hawke's Bay tonight.

MetService forecast the chance of a snow flurry in parts of Christchurch and Dunedin today, with heavier snow on hillsides around those cities.

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MetService meteorologist John Law said snow could fall in the hills around Wellington tonight and sleety showers in the city.

No snow would be falling in the CBD, he said.

Further north, rain is expected to turn to snow as it falls in the hills around Taihape and Hawkes Bay tonight and into tomorrow.

"The main thing with this system is the colder temperatures," Mr Law said.

Today the capital was expected to reach a high of 10C, but it would drop to 7C and 6C as the week goes on.

New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) warned motorists to prepare for snowfall on Rimutaka Hill Road between Wellington and Wairarapa tonight and tomorrow.

"If you live in Wairarapa you'll be used to driving the road in the wintry conditions, but this could be a time to take extra precautions," Mr Law said.

Fresh snow falls in the South Island should be good news for skiers.

Snow was expected to fall on the North Island ski-fields throughout the week.

On their website, Whakapapa recorded 10cm of fresh snow and Turoa recorded 15cm in the past 24 hours.

A snowy morning in Brydone, Southland. Photo / Supplied by Adrian Peacock

Warning for motorists

Widespread black ice in Southland caused several crashes in the region and police said the driving conditions were "treacherous".

People were urged to avoid travelling on the roads unless necessary.

Meanwhile, snow and ice had closed and affected driving conditions on many South Island roads.

SH6 through Haast Pass, SH93 in Southland and SH94 between Milford and Te Anau are all closed, with the latter at risk of avalanches.

NZTA says only motorists equipped with chains should drive SH73 through Arthur's Pass.

In the North Island snow was expected to fall later on the Desert Rd and on the Rimutaka Hill Rd. They are open at the moment.