Caution urged on icy high roads

The Desert Road is closed and caution is urged on all high country North Island roads as winter weather causes hazardous driving conditions.

The Desert Road is closed due to snow and ice while drivers on the Rimutaka Hill Road near Wellington are advised to be careful because of poor visibility. Snow showers overnight have left the road slippery and icy and more snow showers are likely on both roads today.

Metservice forecaster Gerard Barrow said any other North Island roads above 500 metres may experience snow showers and drivers needed to be careful. He said drivers in the South Island needed to be wary of icy conditions.

A snowfall warning has been issued for the Lewis Pass in the South Island though conditions there were expected to clear today.

Mr Barrow said that while the weather was expected to clear today and tomorrow, another front would probably hit "pretty much all of the country" on Friday.

This was likely to bring more wet weather.

Meanwhile, a fatal three-car crash yesterday in which one person died closed State Highway 1 on the Rakaia Bridge overnight.

One lane of the bridge was now open though further delays and disruptions were expected as police continued their investigations.

- NZPA