Live weather: Snow closes highways in South Island, hundreds lose power in Hawke's Bay gales
Severe winter weather has caused road closures and power outages across New Zealand's South Island and parts of the North Island. Authorities have issued multiple snowfall warnings as crews work to clear highways and restore electricity.
Why it matters
It provides critical public safety information regarding infrastructure disruptions caused by extreme weather events.
Heavy snow closed roads and highways in the South Island on Monday while strong winds buffeted Hawke's Bay in the north, leaving hundreds without electricity and fire crews battling vegetation fires.
State Highway 1 between Dunedin and Waitati (north of Dunedin) was closed due to snow on Tuesday morning but it had reopened by mid-afternoon with travellers still urged to take extra care on the route.
Earlier in the day roading crews were out helping people who were stuck in cars on SH1.
Driver Amy Turoa said she was heading south on State Highway 1 when traffic came to a standstill for about 30 minutes.
"It's probably the heaviest snow I've been in, it just came down so fast," she said.
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