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A bout of freezing weather is set to cover the country from later today with a “very cold” southerly flow forecast to move up from the South Island, prompting warnings for farmers to move their stock to sheltered ground.

The southerly airstream is forecast to head north over Southland and Otago this afternoon and Canterbury and Marlborough this evening, the MetService said.

The MetService said snow levels should slowly rise up to over 1000m on Thursday evening, with snow showers expected to clear from most inland areas during the morning.

“Over the South Island, snow showers are expected to lower to 300 or 400 metres in many southern and eastern areas later today,” the agency said in a statement.

Wellington, Wairarapa and Manawatu are forecast to receive snow dumps as low as 500 metres early on Thursday morning.

The southerly change was set to cross over the Cook Strait around midnight tonight before blanketing the North Island on Thursday morning, with snow showers likely to be as low as 700 metres south from Taihape and Hawke’s Bay.

“However snow is likely to affect many higher roads and passes in the South Island later today and also the Desert Road, Napier Taupo road and Rimutaka Hill road during Thursday morning. .

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“The combination of cold temperatures and strong southerly winds in exposed areas may affect livestock, and farmers are advised to move any stock at risk to sheltered areas,” the MetService said

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Motorists have been urged to carry warm clothes and blankets in case they get stranded as another spring storm hits the North Island today.

A fresh blast of wintry weather has closed roads, toppled trees and downed power lines in the North Island this morning but the South Island has escaped relatively unscathed.

The Desert Road from Rangipo to Waiouru remained closed this morning due to snow.

The Rimutaka Hill, north of Wellington, remained open after a slip but would close if weather conditions deteriorated, he said.

Gales brought down several trees around Horowhenua overnight, briefly closing some roads, a police central communications spokesperson said.

Weather Watch analyst Phillip Duncan said the upper North Island should expect a wet weekend with possible thunderstorms.

Gale force winds had also brought down powerlines in south Taranaki.

Families driving home at the end to the school holidays should take extra care on the roads, check the forecast, and think of alternative routes.

But for skiers the bad weather is good news – Turoa’s season has been extended until November 8, making it the longest season on record.

Police in the South Island reporting no major road closures or weather-related incidents.

Civil Defence issued an alert yesterday, warning motorists to prepare for the conditions and put blankets and warm clothes in vehicles in case they get stuck.

Heavy snow is forecast to fall as low as 600 metres in the central North Island today – and as low as 400 metres on the Rimutaka Hill Road – a week after an unseasonable storm stranded 700 vehicles in metre-deep snow on the Desert Road and the Napier-Taupo highway.co.

WeatherWatch.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan said the timing was terrible for families returning from school holiday trips.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan said the timing was terrible for families returning from school holiday trips.

Wellington got a taste of things to come when a fierce spring storm forced the cancellation of some train services yesterday, caused widespread surface flooding and was a factor in several car crashes.

Farmers have been advised to consider moving stock to lower ground or sheltered areas. A MetService spokesperson said 6mm per hour was considered a heavy downpour.

More than 66 millimetres of rain was recorded at Kelburn in the 24 hours to 5pm yesterday, including about 13mm between 3am and 4am. . “That is a heavy burst of rain and it probably would have woken quite a few people