Snow and ice are affecting South Island highways today and are expected to continue in the coming days.

NZTA is encouraging drivers to stay updated on conditions in the lower and central South Island.

Highway Closures:

• South Canterbury: The Mt Cook/Aoraki Highway (SH80) remains closed from the base of Lake Pukaki/SH8 intersection to Mt Cook Village. SH8 from Fairlie through Burkes Pass to Tekapo reopened before midday, while Tekapo to Pukaki reopened after 11 am today. The Mt Cook highway might remain closed overnight due to significant snowfall and potential icy roads.
• Otago: SH85 from Palmerston to Kyeburn was closed before 9 am. Updates can be found here.
• Lindis Pass: SH8 between Omarama and Tarras remains open but is catching snow. Drivers are advised to take care, slow down, and be cautious on gritted roads.

Driving Conditions: Cold and slippery winter conditions are prevalent, especially for drivers entering and leaving Dunedin over the Leith Saddle on SH1 from Waitati. Mark Pinner, System Manager Central South Island for NZTA, reported that seven crews are busy gritting and clearing snow in South Canterbury. Additional resources are on standby as snow is forecasted to continue until around 2 am tomorrow.

Alpine passes between Canterbury and the West Coast might see snow from midday today into Wednesday. People should be aware of travel and route changes in the coming days as very low temperatures could lead to black ice.

Current Status of Other Passes:

• SH73 (Arthur’s Pass/Porters Pass) and SH7 (Lewis Pass): Currently open, but snow might affect them from this afternoon into Wednesday. Travelers are advised to travel during daylight hours whenever possible and check the NZTA traffic and travel pages for updates.

Local Information:

• Crown Range Road: For updates, check the Queenstown Lakes District’s web pages or Facebook here.

Southland: Has not experienced snow yet but anticipates a run of hard frosts later this week.

Travel Advice: People should check NZTA’s highway map before traveling, especially overnight. For severe weather warnings, refer to the MetService warnings page.