South Island farmers urged to prepare for 'significant weather event'

Snow forecast for the South Island - lower Accumulation for next 3 Days. Photo / Snow-forcast.com

Christchurch could see its first October snowfall in more than 50 years.

MetService is forecasting snow down to sea level across the South Island this week, with a polar blast expected to hit the country.

Temperatures are forecast to drop on Wednesday with Christchurch in for chilly lows of -1C.

MetService meteorologist Heath Gullery says the last time Christchurch saw an October snowfall was in 1969.

A quick snapshot of the week coming up
💨 Winds turning southerly
🌡 Temperatures dropping
🥶Feeling colder
❄ some snow showers

Full forecasts at https://t.co/oKYtrol7HA pic.twitter.com/LRyQPKgvSR

— MetService (@MetService) October 1, 2022

In the Dunedin region, tomorrow would start with possible morning frosts, but as the northerlies changed southwesterly, showers would develop and turn to snow in the evening.

The snow was expected to lower to about 400m in the Dunedin and Southland areas, and 300m in inland Otago.

The weather was expected to clear on Thursday.

The combination of low temps & strong winds will produce a low wind chill Wed & Thu.

Likely impacts:

🐄 livestock: stress from cold

🍎 agriculture: damage from cold temp/frost

🚗 travel: snow on roads, esp. South Island

💡 electricity: surge in demand

🥶 people: bundle up! pic.twitter.com/G0fC0jExj7

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) October 2, 2022

MetService said it was a "significant weather event" for October and urged farmers to be prepared for the polar blast which may bring stress to livestock.

-Additional reporting ODT