MetService’s head of weather news, Heather Keats, mentioned that the closed sections of the highways in the Mackenzie Country have reopened following the snow and ice risks on Saturday night. The crews from the New Zealand Transport Agency have been actively treating the icy roads.
Keats noted that there are still road snowfall warnings in place for Lewis Pass and Porters Pass until around 9 am today. She also mentioned that rain has fallen over the Canterbury region, resulting in snow in the Port Hills up to about 700m, which is expected to ease as showers move out of the South Island.
The temperatures are gradually warming up, with Wellington and Dunedin experiencing a couple of degrees higher than Sunday. Keats stated that temperatures will return to average today and tomorrow, with the North Island possibly seeing slightly above-average temperatures later in the week.
Mt Hutt recorded the coldest temperature this morning at -7°C, while Manapouri Airport in Te Anau recorded -4°C. Keats warned that the large swells in Cook Strait will decrease, but a new weather system from the Tasman Sea could bring more rain mid-week, leading to an unsettled week ahead.
In a separate event, thunderstorms hit the upper North Island overnight, with over 3000 lightning strikes recorded. Kaipara Harbour and Auckland experienced intense thunder and lightning, with residents in Helensville reporting hail. Keats admitted that the thunderstorms startled her and mentioned that the storms would continue over the city throughout the morning before moving offshore.
Overall, Keats advised commuters and parents to monitor the rain radar due to expected strong winds and heavy rain until about 9 am. The weather patterns have been quite unstable lately, with westerly and southerly flows causing cold temperatures, snow, and thunderstorms in various regions.
