Snow, strong winds, heavy rain for central, southern New Zealand

Heavy rain, severe gale northwesterlies, and snow are sweeping through parts of central and southern New Zealand, with more warnings expected in the coming days.

Power has been restored to more than 2000 North Canterbury households after a tree hit a power line.

Winds reached 140kmh in the region on Thursday morning. Strong wind warnings were also in place for Wairarapa, Wellington, and the Marlborough Sounds.

State Highway 59, north of Wellington, was closed as contractors removed a tree in danger of falling onto the highway.

Waka Kotahi said the highway through Pukerua Bay was closed between Gray Street and Teihana Road West.

Motorists were asked to avoid the area and drivers travelling between Porirua and the Kapiti Coast were encouraged to use Transmission Gully.

Earlier, State Highway 1 near Waipara was closed after a large truck blew over, blocking all four lanes. Waka Kotahi said the highway had since reopened to two lanes after a local farmer helped partially drag the truck off the road.

Police said no injuries had been reported.

MainPower confirmed power was back on for close to 2300 homes in the greater Amberley area after it was cut shortly after 11am. About 230 customers still did not have power. MainPower said it was working to restore all power by 9pm.

High winds had impacted its network in Waimakariri and Hurunui, MainPower said.

Wind damage had cut power to more than 200 houses near Motunau Beach Road for a few hours on Thursday morning but it had since been restored.

Meanwhile, the strong winds had delayed the opening of the Hanmer Springs pools until midday, with staff busy clearing tree branches and debris from the water.

Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa operations manager Bobby Harpur said the wind was some of the strongest he had seen in the region.

"There's some rather large branches down the main avenue of the village and our pool complex looked like a bomb had gone through it so yeah, a very challenging morning."

Staff from all parts of the pool complex - including lifeguards and administration - had been working all morning to clear leaves and sticks from the pools, he said.

"The in-pool vaccuums were going flat out. So it's been a great effort by everyone to band together and get the place open."

A number of businesses in Hanmer Springs have not been able to open without power, and the council has shut all walking and biking tracks.

An active front over the Tasman Sea will move northwards over southern and central New Zealand on Thursday.

MetService said this front would be preceded by a strong and moist northwesterly flow, and followed by strong and cold west to southwesterlies.

Heavy rain warnings were in place for Buller, Westland and the headwaters of Canterbury lakes and rivers about and south of Arthur's Pass.

There were also strong wind warnings for Wairarapa, Wellington, the Marlborough Sounds and Canterbury High Country.

With severe gales hitting the capital, Wellington Airport said two flights had been prevented from landing and had to be diverted to other cities.

Two Sounds Air flights from Taupō and Westport were also cancelled.

Several parts of the South Island and lower North Island were also under rain, wind and snow watches.

Cold temperatures, snow to follow warm spell

MetService head of weather communications Lisa Murray told Morning Report the rain was mostly focused on the western side and the wind on the eastern side of the country.

Several places including Napier and Dunedin would have warm temperatures ahead of today's front, she said.

"But behind that front, there's going to be a significant drop in temperature."

Snow was also expected tonight for Fiordland, Southland, Clutha, Dunedin, Central Otago and Southern Lakes.

☑️Got travel plans in the South Island between today and Friday afternoon?

❄️With snowfalls expected - possibly even near sea level in Southland and Otago - some roads may be affected by snow settling on the ground

ℹ️https://t.co/qHyE5zzql5 pic.twitter.com/oHBtfrD75u

— MetService (@MetService) October 25, 2023

She said Napier and Hastings would be in the mid-20s.

But behind that front, she said there would be a sharp drop in temperature.

She said Dunedin, for example, would be a maximum of 21 degrees Celsius on Thursday, but on Friday that would drop to only 8-9C, with an overnight temperature of 3C.

Waka Kotahi journey planner Nicole Felts urged extra caution on the road and expect wintery conditions.

She told Morning Report people may not be expecting snow down near sea level in places like Otago and Southland at this time of year.

"[We're] asking that people drive a bit slower than they normally would and make sure that they're accelerating smoothly, braking gently, taking their time if they do absolutely need to travel tonight."

She also urged caution for those driving in heavy rain or winds.

~1⃣7⃣0⃣0⃣

⚡️⚡️That's the number of lightning strikes in the last two hours

Those thunderstorms travel up Westland and into Buller and western Tasman this morning, also making it over the S.Apls into the Canterbury High Country

Be sure to take extra care out there today pic.twitter.com/Tiaj0hwzEa

— MetService (@MetService) October 25, 2023

Many South Island passes and alpine roads have snowfall warnings in place with up to 15 centimetres of snow expected to settle above 800 metres on the Milford Road from Thursday afternoon.

Earlier in the day, 1700 lightning strikes were recorded within two hours as thunderstorms moved up Te Waipounamu.

Cyclone Lola

MetService was also keeping an eye on Cyclone Lola.

Murray said the cyclone had weakened from as its remnant moves towards the Tasman Sea.

"Then when we get this cold air that's coming up, bringing the snow and the rain and the wind to us, meets that in the Tasman Sea on Saturday, and it sort of reinvigorates the energy of that storm."

Murray said a low was expected to come on to the country. Northland, Auckland and Napier were among those first expected to be affected.