MICHAEL DALY, WITH THE SOUTHLAND TIMES
Last updated 10:48 16/05/2012
The ski slopes of Mt Ruapehu were covered with snow yesterday after the first fall of the year, while at the bottom of the South Island snow has fallen to around 400 metres above sea level.
In Queenstown and Arrowtown, residents woke to thick snow around the townships as the area received its first serious snowfall of the year.
In Queenstown snow was as low as the Skyline gondola terminal at about 600m above sea level and down to Deer Park Heights, above Kelvin Heights.
In Arrowtown sleet is continuing to fall to ground level but not settling. However, snow has settled in slightly higher residential areas such as Dalefield.
Coronet Peak had 13cm overnight and still has snow flurries still coming through.
Coronet Peak is scheduled to open on June 9 and the Remarkables on June 16. Cardrona Alpine Resort is scheduled to open on June 22 and Treble Cone on June 28.
Te Anau residents had a chilly start to the day this morning, also waking to the first significant snowfall of the season.
The white powder has covered mountains, trees and paddocks, falling to road level in some places.
The snow line in the lower South Island was expected to lift today, getting to around 1200 metres by tonight, MetService said.
At Mt Ruapehu yesterday, ski area manager Steve McGill said preparations were under way for the ski season, which is due to open on June 16 at Turoa, and June 23 at Whakapapa.
"Winter is certainly upon us," he said.
Optimism is also high in the Southern Lakes for a better start to the ski season than last year when June temperatures were unseasonably warm.
NZSki chief executive James Coddington said the temperature was 4.9degC yesterday, with snow on the peaks around Queenstown.
SNOW, HEAVY RAIN FORECAST MetService forecaster Geoff Sanders said a cold southerly outbreak was expected to bring snow to 600 metres in the central North Island high country by tonight. Residents in the top half of the island would also be feeling colder, as strong southwesterly winds and showers swept across the area.
Heavy showers with hail and possible thunderstorms were forecast for the North Island as far south as Kapiti on the west and the Bay of Plenty to the east.
Heavy showers this afternoon and evening were expected between Gisborne and Wellington, with sleet about the top of the Rimutaka Hill this evening.
The outlook was much better for much of the South Island, with fine weather expected for Nelson throughout the day, and in Canterbury showers becoming confined to the Kaikoura Coast and Banks Peninsula.
The New Zealand Transport Agency was urging drivers to be cautious on a section of state highway 6 south of Queenstown.
Photos and more...
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/6930343/Southerly-blast-heralds-winter
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November 16, 2012, 08:43:18 AM