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A winter scene in the South Island - Source: William Humphries -
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A polar blast hitting the south on Tuesday has caused
considerable disruption.
People were urged to stay home rather than risk it on the city
streets. Schools were closed and flights in and out of Dunedin
cancelled. There have also been reports of a number of crashes,
with traffic backed up in many parts of the city.
Snow, black ice and sleet on the roads, made for dangerous driving, and police are urging caution.
Every school in the city has closed, and buses aren't going anywhere fast.
State Highway One from Milton to Balclutha is closed, so is State Highway 93 from Clinton to Mataura. The Southern Motorway entrance into Dunedin is also closed.
There are also delays from Franz Josef to Fox Glacier and caution is urged on the road from Greymouth to Hokitika and Te Anau to Milford Sound.
The MetService says the snowy conditions are expected to ease in the south later on Tuersday.
Further snow showers could be expected near sea level in Southland and Otago but they would be less frequent and lighter.
North Island hit too
There are warnings snow will fall on some North Island roads.
Snow showers on the Desert Road are predicted for Tuesday - with as much as 5cm of snow likely to accumulate on the road between 9am and 8pm.
Snow showers mixed with hail are also predicted near the summit of the Rimutaka Hill Road and, bringing up to 3cm of snow there.
Do you have images of the polar blast? Send them to us
at
news@tvnz.co.nz
For the latest forecast for your area check out
TVNZ's weather page
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