Winter weather: Snow incoming for many parts of Southland

Heavy snow in the Queenstown Lakes District earlier this month. Photo / George Heard

Snow is on its way to several parts of the central South Island tonight, with some areas receiving a heavy snow watch.

Forecaster MetService has placed a heavy snow watch for the Canterbury High Country, south of Culverden, warning that the heavy rain will turn to snow overnight.

Road Snowfall Warnings have been issued for several higher South Island roads/passes https://t.co/aIkbAHKg1S ^PL pic.twitter.com/rnsY2p1NG4

— MetService (@MetService) June 26, 2022

Road snowfall warnings are in place within these same areas. Porters Pass (SH73) is expected to get 8-15cm of snow in higher areas, overnight and Arthurs Pass (SH73) is expected to reach 10-20cm in higher areas. Lewis Pass (SH7) is also expected to receive 5-8cm of snow.

Both Crown Range Rd and Lindis Pass (SH8) are expected to receive 1-2cm in higher areas.

A front brought periods of heaving rain to Westland this morning that have lasted throughout today and are expected to go into the night and early tomorrow morning.

A heavy rain watch was in place in Westland, south of Otira, and has now eased south of the glaciers this evening.

The same front is expected to bring heavy rain to Canterbury this evening, which will turn to snow in the cold winter temperatures.

Although the news of snowfall will be exciting to skifield goers this week, MetService is urging motorists using these roads tomorrow to take care, particularly in places of high elevation.

Heavy rain is expected to be a familiar theme for this week. It is expected to set in again in western areas of Southland on Thursday, accompanied by strong gales and the possibility of further snowfall.

There is also low confidence of severe northwest gales for parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury High Country on Thursday, while on Friday and early Saturday there is low confidence of severe gales for southeastern parts of Southland, also Clutha and Dunedin.