Highways stay open but care required

Hawke's Bay's western ranges have been a landscape of bright white over the past three days but things are set to ease over the next few days. Photo / Duncan Brown

The "total dedication" of road crews had kept Hawke's Bay's snow and ice-threatened Napier-Taupo highway open during the recent cold snap, New Zealand Transport Agency spokesman Oliver Postings said.

The southerly front saw snow fall down to levels of just 400m on some stretches of SH5 and the combination of rain that followed along with frost-creating temperatures meant ice had also formed.

"But all credit to the Downers crews - people tucked up in a warm bed don't realise how cold and bleak it is up there at 3 in the morning, and that's when they were clearing roads," Mr Postings said.

Snow ploughs had been in constant use on the high-altitude stretches as snow flurries continued to sweep up the eastern coastline. CMA, a special spray-on substance, had been used to prevent the build-up of ice.

"We have had no closures and we are not expecting any at this stage," Mr Postings said.

"We have been pretty lucky so far in the Bay."

The only closures of the Napier-Taupo highway were early last month when it was briefly shut twice as a severe southerly-driven snow front crossed the region.

Mr Postings said motorists had to be aware that conditions were far from ideal and drivers needed to treat the stretch, which would largely remain wet, with caution.

There had been no issues with either the Taihape Rd or SH2 north to Wairoa.

The cold snap, which saw temperatures drop to single figures over the past three days, is easing, with tomorrow forecast to be sunny and with a possible high of 14C as northerlies replace southwesterlies.

The northerlies will continue until Saturday, with temperatures rising to 16C along with showers.

The weekend then reverts to a more wintry southwesterly change, with sunshine mixing with showers and temperatures of 14C.