“You would normally expect this kind of weather in June,” says meteorologist.
13 Apr 2015- The cold snap making its way across the country is beginning to bite in the South, with snow and ice affecting some of the region’s roads and forcing flight cancellations at Queenstown.
State Highway 6, Kingston-Dipton was closed, and NZTA has cautions in place for several other roads.
Queenstown Lakes District Council is advising motorists to use caution as snow is falling in many places across the district.
Snowploughs and grit trucks are being sent to clear roads in the Dalefield area.
On the Crown Range road – the mountain pass road between Queenstown and Wanaka – drivers are being told to carry chains, or to use State Highway 6 through the Kawarau Gorge.
“You would normally expect this kind of weather in June,” said MetService meteorologist Richard Finnie. “It’s not an early winter – it’s an early taste of winter.”
WeatherWatch analysts said snow was expected to fall to around 400m in North Otago, and down as low as 200m in Southland.
In the Banks Peninsula, there will be snow down to low levels.
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/338898/bitterly-cold-polar-outbreak-due-today.
Thanks to Lyn Roberts for this link