Canterbury prepares for another icy front

Supermarkets around Canterbury have been preparing for another run on stocks, as the snow-covered region braces for a further icy front expected late on Wednesday.

Canterbury emergency planners reactivated alert systems today ahead of a MetService severe weather warning predicting snow down as low as 100m in the afternoon.

Cold southerlies were forecast to sweep north across the province about midday tomorrow, bringing further snow to the already-blanketed Canterbury Plains.

MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said last week's massive snow dump throughout Canterbury had been followed by southwest fronts that had skirted around the plains.

"Wednesday's cold front is likely to be followed by more penetrating chilly southerlies that are capable of bringing snow to low levels over any ground that is already nearly freezing," he said.

The front was expected to intensify as it moved toward the North Island and deepen into a slow-moving low that would last well into the weekend.

Canterbury Civil defence emergency management planner Jon Mitchell said local authorities and emergency response groups around the region were putting resources in place for a further snow dump.

Residents were advised to listen to weather forecasts, especially before travelling on roads, keep in touch with neighbours and relatives and ensure households had enough food and water supplies for an "extended period".

Farmers were advised to move stock to lower ground or shelter.

Defence Force personnel, who had assisted Civil Defence throughout last week's emergency, were stood down back at the Burnham Military Camp base south of Christchurch yesterday.

Timaru District Council also urged South Canterbury residents to prepare for another snowstorm and the possibility of further power cuts.

Civil Defence incident controller Mark Griffioen said people should fill gas bottles, and stock up on food and fuel supplies, candles, batteries, torches and transistor radios.

Timaru Mayor Janie Annear said it was important people were prepared.

The council was preparing for another snowstorm and graders and grit trucks would be reactivated quickly if roads became blocked again.

Supermarkets around Canterbury reported brisker than normal Tuesday afternoon trading.

Further south in Timaru, Countdown store manager Sean Charles said he'd just taken an order from Timaru Civil Defence for about 70 six-packs of candles. The store was awaiting three orders of batteries.

Mr Charles said "easy-eat" foods such as baked beans had been "hammered" and he was stocking up on non-cooking items like muesli bars.

He said the supermarket had almost doubled its turnover last Thursday and Friday as people prepared for a predicted southerly at the weekend.

"I think tomorrow we'll be quite busy, because people will be concerned about the weather."

- NZPA