High winds caused trees to fall and block roads throughout Central Otago yesterday. Photo / Shannon Thomson
Strong winds, heavy rain and snow are on the cards for much of the South Island today.
Rain and snow has already affected some southern roads, and after hundreds had power knocked out in Central Otago yesterday, many were still without power overnight.
The Lindis Pass (State Highway 8) was closed this morning because of snow but has reopened, and chains must be carried on Crown Range Rd.
An NZTA spokesperson said ice on the roads is a major problem this morning.
Metservice meteorologist Andy Best said two cold fronts have brung a southerly change to much of the South Island this morning.
"These fronts have already gone through places like Christchurch and brought strong cold south-westerlies to Canterbury, North Otago and parts of Southland."
Best said residents should expect periods of rain but also snow to 700m around the Canterbury area, isolated snow showers down to 300m in central otago and down to 200m in Southland and Clutha throughout today.
"Those fronts do clear quite quickly during the course of this afternoon and we are left with south-westerlies down in the south.
"The southerlies are expected to come through Wellington early this afternoon."
85 customers are still without power in remote parts of central Otago, including rural areas near the townships of Millers Flat and Roxburgh. high winds
An Aurora Energy spokesperson said while the power in those townships was restored by about 10pm last night, contractors patrolling the lines are finding conditions more difficult as they try to locate faults on more remote "spurs."
"This work is ongoing this morning, and a helicopter crew is being deployed to assist in these more remote and snow-affected parts.
"For those 85 customers remaining without electricity, the Millers Flat hall is still available for those who need warmth, tea, coffee, water and toilet facilities, and also who need to cook food."
The spokesperson said there will be a further update after 12.30pm.
Further north, four helicopters were this morning sent to fight a fire near Kaikōura that is being fanned by strong winds.
Fire crews were called to the blaze on the hillside about 5km north of the Kekerengu Store on SH1 at 1.55am.
It started from a controlled burn that flared up overnight, a Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the Treble Cone Ski Area has had had 30cm of snow in the carpark overnight.
In a Facebook post, skifield said it will open mid-morning today.
"We will not open the Saddle, only Main Basin for skiing. Please ski/ride with caution of unmarked hazards.
"Today is about setting up the field now we have snow," it said.
Around Queenstown, the Kinloch road was closed due to flooding and Skippers road asw closed because of a slip.
Several minor roads were closed in the Roxburgh area, which was hit particularly hard by the winds, with many trees down and debris blown around the district.
In Dunedin this morning some roads flooded, and strong winds battered the city.
MetService has a raft of weather watches in place, as a polar blast began to move through late yesterday.
They include a strong wind watch for inland parts of Otago until 3pm today and for Fiordland and northern Southland until noon.
A heavy snow watch was in place for northern parts of Southland and southern parts of Otago, down to 200m, between 1am and 8am today, and for southern Fiordland down to 200m until 6am today.
Snow was forecast to affect the Crown Range Rd until 6am today.
About 550 customers in Central Otago lost power yesterday after significant damage to lines in the area. An Aurora spokeswoman this morning said 85 customers were still without power. She said it had been restored to most homes by 10pm yesterday.
MetService meteorologist Angus Hines said wind-flows were responsible for the city reaching 18C yesterday.
Oamaru hit a high of 18.1C and Waitati reached 18.7C.
He said cold air from the south came over the country last week and was followed by a period of high pressure, which left the country with cold chills.
But a front coming from the Tasman then shifted the wind direction around New Zealand.
"All of a sudden we are pulling air in from subtropical waters north of New Zealand."
That caused the brief spot of warm weather experienced yesterday, he said.
Strong winds brought by the weather system hammered parts of the region, causing significant damage to powerlines in and around Roxburgh, Ettrick and Clyde.
Aurora Energy said about 550 customers lost power, with 419 of those in the Ettrick area.
People were urged to prepare for the power outage last night, and possibly into this morning.
Power was back on in Clyde, Roxburgh and Omakau townships by 5.30pm, but other areas were not so lucky.
Aurora contractors were connecting a generator to the Millers Flat Hall from 6.30pm, providing warmth, tea, coffee, toilet, water and cooking facilities to residents affected by the outages.
The outage mostly affected Ettrick-Millers Flat, Raes Junction and surrounding rural areas.
"In these locations, it is more difficult for lines crews to ascertain and repair the damage to lines caused by high winds and debris," Aurora said.
"With snow forecast for Central Otago, Aurora Energy is working as fast as possible to repair lines safely, as conditions allow."
In the Teviot Valley, high winds toppled trees, closing roads and sparking a minor scrub fire.
Wright and Woodhouse Rds remained closed by fallen trees last night and caution was urged on the Roxburgh East Rd on the Roxburgh Dam wall, because of debris blowing over from the lake on to the roadway.
Trees felled by wind also downed power lines near Roxburgh and the lines are believed to have sparked a 30m by 5m scrub fire in Grovers Hill Rd about 12.30pm.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said one fire engine from Roxburgh and two rural appliances from Millers Flat attended the blaze.
In the Queenstown Lakes district, heavy rain caused surface flooding, as well as rockfalls and slips on the Crown Range Rd, linking the resort town and Wanaka.
Coronet Peak, near Queenstown, advised that it closed for the day, because of gale-force westerlies hitting the slopes.
Flights in and out of Dunedin were also affected by yesterday's blustery weather.
Amanda Doile, a passenger on a flight bound for Dunedin, said people were screaming and crying after the aircraft couldn't land and was forced to turn back to Wellington.
"The wind just picked up like super crazy. The pilot tried to land the plane but we had massive turbulence."
Doile said passengers were lifted out of their seats several times and "thrown around" the plane.
Air New Zealand confirmed the flight was unable to land because of strong wind.
Three other of the airline's services in and out of Dunedin were also cancelled yesterday because of weather.
- Additional reporting Otago Daily Times
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