Heavy downpours across parts of the country has led to a slip, snowfall and surface flooding this afternoon, with one state highway in North Taranaki reduced to a single lane.
A stretch of State Highway 3 through Mt Messenger was down to one lane following a slip on the side of the road caused by heavy and persistent rain, according to the New Zealand Transport Agency.
NZTA said the initial slip had been cleared but the lane remained closed while crews removed unstable material from the hillside.
Stop/go traffic management was now in place between the bypass project office and a point about 800m south of the intersection of SH3 and Mangaonga Rd.
A temporarily reduced speed limit was also in place.
"Please expect significant delays travelling through the area, of around 30 minutes, while the northern lane remains closed," NZTA said.
"The lane will reopen when it is safe to do so.
"Drive to the conditions and adhere to all traffic management in place."
Meanwhile, surface flooding was reported on state highways across the lower and central South Island this afternoon.
Flooding was reported on highways in Westport and Greymouth on the West Coast last night. NZTA was alerted to flooding in Otago, on State Highway 87 in Mosgiel, and on State Highway 83 between Oamaru and Kurow, today that had required assessment by roading crews.
"Caution has been urged but no closures or other restrictions have been required so far."
Road users were urged to avoid travelling through floodwaters, especially where the depth was uncertain and there may be obstructions that weren't visible.
Snow expected from this evening could impact the roading network, NZTA said, especially on Canterbury’s inland state highways, with up to 10cm possible at Porters Pass on SH73.
Cold snaps and snowfall
MetService today warned Thursday would be wet for most of the country as a frontal rainband continued to move over the North Island, bringing bouts of heavy rain as it passed.
A heavy rain watch had been in place for Clutha, Dunedin and North Otago until 4pm today, with MetService warning some post-frontal showers would be heavy around coastal areas of the North Island. The meteorological service added while the risk was low, the "odd clap of thunder" could be heard today or tomorrow.
The front had also brought with it colder temperatures, with many places feeling the chill.
In Christchurch, temperatures reached 26C on Tuesday but "only managed to crack 12C on Wednesday".
"These spring cold snaps tend to catch us off-guard, particularly anyone who has popped their summer seedlings into the ground already, so best to check your forecast temperatures in case these little plants require some covering," MetService Meteorologist Katie Lyons said.
As the weather settled into the weekend and skies cleared, a few frosts are expected for central areas in the North Island, as well as the South Island over the coming days.
The combination of dropping temperatures and rain behind the front had also led to snow which was expected down to 600m today.
MetService said road snowfall warnings were in place for Porters Pass, Arthur's Pass and Lewis Pass.
The snow would gradually ease from the south, with the last road snowfall warnings for Porters Pass and Lewis Pass ending on Friday morning.
"The good news is that toward the end of the working week the rain and cloud will clear, giving way to some picturesque snowcapped mountains," Lyons said.
But Kiwis fretting over the cold can rest assured – finer weather is on the horizon.
The first to bask in the golden weather were those in the west of the South Island tomorrow, while the last would be those on the east coast of the North Island toward Sunday.
"While the southerly winds do continue to bring some lingering rain, this ridge of high pressure moving in from the west slowly stomps the rain out – and this fine weather is setting up shop for a while," Lyons said.
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