New Zealand

Snow, icy roads in southern cold snap

13:06 pm on 12 August 2014

Snow showers have blanketed parts of the South Island and more is on its way.

Motorists are being warned about snow on the Milford Road and snow and ice on State Highway 85 from Kyeburn to Omakau in Central Otago.

There is black ice on the Lindis Pass and snow chains are needed on Arthurs Pass, Lewis Pass and State Highway 8 from Fairlie To Lake Tekapo, the Transport Agency says. Caution is advised on State Highway 80 from the Pukaki turnoff to Mt Cook.

A Transport Agency spokesperson said snow would be down to 100 metres to 300 metres in the west and south of the South Island and temperatures in Invercargill were as low as 2 degrees on Tuesday morning.

For the North Island, MetService is forecasts showers on the Desert Road are likely to turn to snow, bringing up to 3cm of snow before midnight Tuesday.