Stormy weather and snow to continue

The storms which have lashed New Zealand with snow and ice over the past week are set to continue, with more snow forecast.

A severe weather warning was renewed today for snow until around noon tomorrow, particularly snow showers about Otago Peninsula and Banks Peninsula and a burst of heavy snow on the central North Island plateau.

To add to the wintry feel, a cold southerly wind is expected and may rise to gale force from late tomorrow through Wednesday between Kaikoura and Hawkes Bay and through Cook Strait, bringing "enhanced rain" that may fall as snow on mountain ranges, the MetService said.

The mountain forecast to midnight Tuesday has southwesterly winds and snow showers in both the North and South Islands, with snow down to altitudes as low as 600m.

The Department of Conservation's Turangi-Taupo area manager Dave Lumley said only experienced people able to evaluate avalanche hazards should be carrying out backcountry skiing, and alpine trampers should be particularly cautious and make sure they get up-to-date avalanche information.

"Travel in the back country should be limited to low angle terrain well away from any avalanche terrain," he said.

A website which posts up-to-date details on avalanche risks around the country has many regions rated as high risk.

The MetService said that since last Thursday there had been around 800mm of fresh snow on the central North Island mountains and a metre or more on the western slopes of the Southern Alps from Mount Cook northwards.

"Since mid-July the Tasman Sea has been a breeding ground for low-pressure systems," said a spokesman, Bob McDavitt.

The number of large lows that have made their way into the New Zealand region was unusual, and these lows had moved quite slowly, allowing more time for rain to fall.

But over the past week or so a huge mass of cold air from the Southern Ocean had been drawn over New Zealand, meaning much of the rain actually hit the ground as snow or hail.

DOC's warning followed a rough weekend in the South Island where nine people were rescued from mountain areas which were hazardous, and alpine safety experts have spoken out about foolhardy expeditions into the backcountry.

- NZPA