State Highway 8 between Twizel and Fairlie and State Highway 80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/Mt Cook will be closed to motorists because of extremely icy conditions. Photo: Supplied / New Zealand Transport Agency
Two areas of state highway in the Mackenzie Country will be closed again on Saturday night due to dangerous driving conditions caused by snowfall.
New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) said State Highway 8 between Twizel and Fairlie and State Highway 80 between Lake Pukaki and Aoraki/Mt Cook would be closed to motorists because of extremely icy conditions caused by snow flurries, snow melt and freezing temperatures.
Crews would be working on the roads, breaking up ice and spreading grit, NZTA said.
A decision would be made in the morning about when the roads would open again.
Rescue mission
On Friday night, motorists were stranded in Lindis Pass when sections of SH8 became blocked by snowfall, prompting a rescue mission.
Firefighters were called as a polar blast struck Canterbury and Otago, dumping up to a metre in some areas.
The occupants of five cars and a couple of trucks had to abandon their vehicles and were taken to Tekapo for the night, with specialist Fire and Emergency vehicles being used to extract the vehicles. The motorists were reunited with their vehicles Saturday morning.
Elsewhere, SH73 from Otira to Springfield (Arthur's Pass and Porters Pass) and SH85 from Kyeburn to Palmerston were both re-opened earlier on Saturday.
A slip at Gorge Stream on SH7 was now clear, meaning the highway from Hanmer Springs to Springs Junction had been re-opened.
State Highway 87 between Mosgiel and Kyeburn was also open.
Around the motu
Fears of an extreme cold snap did not eventuate, despite chilly temperatures around the motu.
The country went into the latter part of the week with almost two dozen weather warnings in place, but rain eased on Friday in Tāupo and the Bay of Plenty, and the South Island avoided heavy snowfall.
On Saturday, a strong wind watch was issued for the Chatham Islands through to Sunday due to a nearby deep low, bringing northerly gales.
MetService meteorologist Sylvia Martino told RNZ Dunedin Airport and Takapō took out the chilliest spots, at minus five overnight, while Christchurch dropped to minus one.
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