KEY POINTS:
South Island police are blaming a freezing winter blast for a fatal car accident as well as a raft of other traffic problems around Central Otago today.
Schools were closed in Queenstown as steady snow began to fall.
Inspector Warren Kemp of southern police communications said a car slid off an icy road into Lake Wanaka on the Haast Highway about 12.40pm.
Just one car was involved in the crash, he said.
Mr Kemp said drivers in Central Otago, Alexandra and Queenstown areas shouldn't travel unless it was absolutely necessary.
"The snow's getting reasonably heavy and the message down there is, if you don't have to go out, don't," Mr Kemp said. "You may not get where you're intending to go."
He said cars in Queenstown couldn't move, and even four-wheel-drive vehicles with chains were having difficulty.
A large number of cars were stranded at Lindis Pass, and there had been at least one report there from a policeman who said he was up to his waist in snow.
Wanaka Primary is in the process of contacting parents and sending pupils home as the snow lying on the ground began to build up.
Queenstown Primary School administrator Fiona Smith said buses weren't running, and staff were staying at school that evening to wait with children whose parents were coming to pick them up.
"The buses aren't running and most of the roads are fairly clogged up with stranded traffic."
However the school was warm and power was on, Ms Smith said, and the school expected all students to be home today.
The Metservice issued a forecast of heavy snow and strong winds in areas further south for tomorrow -- the year's shortest day.
Forecaster Bob Lake said the heaviest falls would be in Southland and South Otago, with snow coming down to sea level by evening, Mr Lake said.
Strong, cold southwesterly winds were also expected to hit those areas, and Fiordland.
Arthur's Pass would see up to 20cm of snow this evening, with lighter falls at Lindis Pass and Porters Pass.
The Milford Road could expect up to 25cm of snow between 6am and midday Friday.
Meanwhile, high winds were expected to cause damage on the North Island's east coast this evening.
Metservice spokesman Bob McDavitt said severe gales were due to hit from Napier to Masterton.
Between 8pm and 2am tomorrow, westerly gales could read 75km/h in exposed places, gusting up to 130km/h.
"That's enough to lift roofs, down powerlines and knock over a few trees."
However, because that area saw regular gales during winter, most roofs were built to withstand high winds, and "most of the trees that could have got knocked down already have".
- NZPA, NEWSTALK ZB
