The Desert Rd has reopened after earlier being closed due to snow.
The State Highway 1 route from Rangipo to Waiōuru was closed earlier this morning, forcing motorists on a 40-minute detour, but the highway was now open, NZTA said.
FINAL UPDATE 9:10AM
— NZ Transport Agency - Central North Island (@nztacni) August 8, 2025
SH1 Desert Rd is now fully OPEN. ^SG https://t.co/sDxxD89Gtw
Fresh snow dumpings on both islands, icy temperatures and a widespread scattering of showers are set to dominate the weekend’s weather across the country.
Along with the Desert Rd, other highways across the country are open this morning, including SH73 at Porters Pass, which had been closed late yesterday.
However, motorists in parts of Central Otago are being warned to take care with snow and ice in some areas, Queenstown Lakes District Council wrote on Facebook this morning.
“Another mixed bag today, with wet and dry roads across the district. Snow is falling and icy roads can be found across the district this morning – so please drive with caution.
“There has been work done to clear the snow and grit is being applied to areas across the roading network.”
Temperatures across the district ranged from -2C to 1C just before 7am, with snow falling on the Crown Range Summit and in Cardrona township, they wrote.
Snow was also falling in Queenstown, Frankton and Glenorchy Rd/Fernhill but not settling, while Haast Pass was overcast and dry.
There’s also snow in parts of Canterbury, including Arthur’s Pass village.
MetService said some relief from the brutish weather is on the way today, with clearer skies expected in western regions as another high-pressure system approaches.
This system will also bring a significant icy drop in temperatures, with widespread frosts set to make a comeback.
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— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) August 8, 2025
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Snow is forecast to fall to 800m in the ranges of the North Island, and as low as 500m across the Canterbury high country and southern lakes.
While settled weather is expected tomorrow for many, a few showers may linger in the eastern North Island, driven by cooler southerly winds.
“Alongside these southerlies, strong to gale-force winds and rough seas are forecast to affect the eastern coastline,” MetService said.
MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti told the Herald Kiwis are still in for a showery start to the weekend.
“We have showers continuing to spread north over the country, clearing in the west of the South Island by the afternoon.
“For Christchurch, we’re expecting showers to persist throughout most of the day there. I think those in Banks Peninsula might see more showers than people inland.
“For Wellington, showers for most of the day. We also do have a risk for Wellington that there might be snow flurries at about 500m.
“Most of the people inland in the city will see just showery conditions,” Shiviti said.
Aucklanders should expect to see a few showers that will persist for most of the day.
“In the evening, we do see a clearance, especially from the eastern side of Auckland. But then about the west coast, there might be a shower or two lingering up until late at night,” Shiviti said.
Tomorrow, those showers will slowly clear from the south.
“A lot of the showers will be in eastern parts of the North Island, specifically the Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, and Wairarapa regions. Also, Wellington will be affected,” Shiviti said.
Wellington is likely to have persistent showers for most of the day, and Auckland is in for a cloudy Sunday and will remain mostly dry.
Shiviti said temperatures are expected to remain cold across the weekend and into early next week.
“We’re not expecting an increase in the temperatures from now going into the next few days and into midweek next week. So, frosty conditions should persist at night and in the mornings.”
He said there are a few places where temperatures will drop 4C this weekend.
Multiple South Island regions will feel the bite in the air with a maximum high of 7C today.
“Christchurch should have [a low] around 2C, same for Ashburton. Timaru should be at -1C, Dunedin Airport should be at 1C.
“Twizel at -2C, Alexandra 0C, same for Queenstown,” Shiviti said.
There is fresh snow expected to hit both the North and South Islands this weekend.
“In Marlborough, we should see snow to about 400m. And that should also move to the northern parts, so the higher ground in Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, at around 500 or 600m.”
The Desert Rd (SH1) was under a road snowfall warning until 10am today.
Snow showers were expected to affect the road during the morning, with potential for 1 to 3cm of snow to accumulate at times above 800m, with lesser amounts down to 600m.
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