Cold blast set to hang around 

Source: Tony Renshaw - Your CamSnow on the hills behind Rotorua

• WATCH the video (1:25)
• SEE the gallery (4 images)

The cold southerly blast affecting New Zealand is expected to linger with MetService predicting we'll be feeling the chill through the weekend and into next week.

Weather Ambassador Bob McDavitt says windy cold conditions are easing as the large depression east of the country weakens.

There has been chaos on roads in the Central Plateau on Thursday after a fresh dumping of snow, with many trucks left stranded. This after freezing temperatures and heavy snow combined to turn the central North Island into a hazardous zone.

It forced the closure of State Highway One at the Desert Road and State Highway Four between National Park and  Raetihi.

By daylight Thursday, some were moving, some were not.

One driver tried to put his brakes on, lost control and slid off the road.
 
Road maintenance worker Murray West says he has seen the same thing up and down the main highways with trucks getting stuck on the ice.

The snow gave Waiouru and surrounding towns the first good coating of the winter.

The two state highways were open again by midday but light snow falls are expected on Thursday night.

McDavitt warns another cold front is forecast to cross the South Island overnight and will hit the North Island on Friday afternoon. It will be packing cold southerly winds and snowy showers for the south and east of the South Island and the southern half of the North Island.

Drivers should check conditions before travelling as ice on inland roads is likely to make conditions hazardous until early next week, McDavitt says.

The Mountain Safety Council (MSC) has warned of a high risk of avalanche in mountain ranges.

For up to date weather forecast for your region go to the tvnz.co.nz weather page .

If you have images or video you would like to share with us email us news@tvnz.co.nz or upload them via Your Cam .