Icy blast returns

11.45am

New Zealanders can expect another cold week as a new southerly blast bites, just one week after a blizzard which left one person dead.

Heavy snow overnight closed the main northern highway out of Dunedin, State Highway 1 to Waikouaiti, this morning and the SH94 between Te Anau and Milford.

A general warning was issued for the whole lower South Island because of snow.

Dunedin's Three Mile Road was closed and Transit warned motorists in the city to leave their cars at home.

MetService forecaster Marylin Avery said the South Island could expect more snow and wind but not on the scale of last week's blizzard which killed Wairarapa postie Erlinda Warrington.

"It's not as bad as we had last week. There's a cold southerly with a low out to the east but the winds aren't as strong and the snow showers are pretty scattered," Ms Avery said.

Cold southerlies, the odd shower and crispy temperatures were expected for the south much of the week.

The cold southerly would flow over the whole country bringing snow to low levels.

About 70 homes around Taihape have been without power since last Wednesday.

Powerco's central and lower North Island networks were hit by heavy snow and severe winds in the storm. The high country around Taihape was hardest hit.

Powerco spokesman Charles Kaka said getting everyone back on was "slow work".

"For example we've got to put up 15 power poles and restring the lines across 15 power poles to get one customer on."

Generators would be brought in to affected homes today but it was hoped power would be restored to all homes by tonight.

A Porirua family who struggled without power for several days were reconnected at the weekend, a Vector spokeswoman said.

The family of Manasa Rayasi, 68, his wife, Temalesi, 74, their daughter Bela, as well as three cousins, including Wellington rugby player Sireli Bobo, had been without hot water, heating or light since Wednesday.

They slept in one room to keep warm and Mrs Rayasi developed a chest infection due to the power cut.

Traffic conditions in the south remained treacherous this morning with the closure of two more roads.

SH93 between Clinton and Mataura and SH87 between Outram and Middlemarch were closed by snow, Transit said.

- NZPA

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