Wellington, New Zealand (Commonwealth Union)_Some South Island regions are experiencing snowfall that reaches the sea level, and Wellington will likely get its best chance of snow in a decade thanks to the “straight from Antarctica” blast of frigid air.
Following falls in Queenstown and nearby locations last night, snow covered Fairlie this morning when residents awoke. Additionally, snow has shut down SH73 from Arthur’s Pass to Otira, and drivers are advised to use caution on SH8 between Cromwell and Omarama and SH79 between Te Anau and Milford.
The Wellington region might get “huge amounts of snow,” according to Metservice meteorologist Jesse Owens, as a polar blast moves over the city this evening and into tomorrow morning. We can anticipate more snow at low altitudes because the eastern regions will get the worst of the snowfall.
Owens predicted that snow might fall in the CBD for the first time since 2011 in addition to the Tararua and Rimutaka Ranges, which are expected to be coated in 5 to 8 cm of snow. “Snow was seen across Wellington. This is the finest opportunity we’ve had in a while to see snow. The temperature is predicted to drop to 200 to 300 meters tonight and overnight tomorrow. It might rise to sea level.”
Despite the fact that spring weather may be quite unpredictable, she claimed the circumstances were exceptional for this time of year. “It’s quite odd and unusual to see an outbreak this cold this late in the year. We don’t see it often and not in October.”
Snow and icy conditions have been brought to the South Island by a polar blast. A second, stronger front is currently travelling north over the nation, and Wellington is anticipated to receive snow tonight. Most of the nation will experience overnight lows in the single digits due to the polar blast from Antarctica.
In Dunedin and Christchurch, according to MetService meteorologist Angus Hinds, there is a significant probability that snow may reach sea level. On Banks Peninsula’s higher terrain, he predicted that 10 to 20 centimetres of snow might accumulate. “Over a large portion of the South Island overnight tonight and tomorrow morning, the combined effects of temperature and wind chill will make it feel below zero, and that will sneak into the North Island.”
Snow was predicted to fall above 200m in the Port Hills and reach sea level by the end of the day in Christchurch, where it was 6C at the airport by 8am. Snowfall in the Wairarapa and in Wellington’s steep areas is also a possibility.
