Winter storm shuts South Island highways, avalanche risk climbs

<p>A winter storm continues to batter the South Island today, closing state highways, triggering rockfalls and raising avalanche risk, though MetService says the worst of the snow has now passed.</p> <p>A "complex" low and frontal system is <a href="https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/08/26/west-coast-in-the-firing-line-as-winter-storm-parks-over-the-south/" target="_blank">slowly moving over the South Island</a> and is expected to bring a "prolonged period of heavy rain" that should turn into heavy snow for Inland parts of Canterbury and Otago.</p> <p><b></b><a href="https://www.tvnz.co.nz/player/newsclip/heavy-snow-disrupts-travel-high-avalanche-risk-for-south-island" target="_blank"><b>Heavy snow disrupts travel, high avalanche risk for South Island - Watch on TVNZ+</b></a></p> <p>More than 300mm of rain has fallen around Franz Josef since the storm began, with rivers along the West Coast running high and snow building across mountain passes and elevated communities.</p> <p><b>Do you have photos or videos of the weather? Email us at news@tvnz.co.nz</b></p> <p>NZTA said State Highway 94 between Te Anau and Milford Sound remained closed because of avalanche risk. State Highway 73 was closed for several hours but has since reopened.</p> <p>Road snowfall warnings also cover Lewis Pass (SH7), Porters Pass (SH73), Lindis Pass (SH8), Crown Range Road and Milford Road (SH94).</p> <p>Warnings are also in place for State Highway 8 from Fairlie to Tekapo (including Burkes Pass), and State Highway 80 from Glentanner to Mount Cook Village, because of snow.</p> <p>"People travelling around the South Island - especially inland and through alpine areas - are urged to keep an eye on weather forecasts and the status of the highways," an NZTA spokesperson said.</p> <p>MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden said the heaviest snow was now behind the region, but the rain would linger.</p> <p>"The worst of the snow has passed, but areas of heavy rain do persist through Friday," Lynden said.</p> <p>Orange heavy rain warnings remained in place for Westland and the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago lakes and rivers.</p> <p>A heavy snow watch covered the Canterbury High Country south of the Rangitata River and Otago from north of Arrowtown to Ranfurly.</p> <p>Surface flooding warnings also applied on SH6, from Makarora in Otago to Fox Glacier on the West Coast, and from Lake Wahapo near Whataroa to Harihari.</p> <h2>'High avalanche danger'</h2> <p>The Mountain Safety Council said there was "high avalanche danger" across the Southern Alps, including Arthur’s Pass, Aoraki/Mt Cook, Ohau, Queenstown, Wānaka, and Aspiring regions.</p> <p>"This means natural avalanches are likely, and human-triggered avalanches are very likely. Dangerous avalanche conditions exist, with the potential for large and destructive avalanches," the Avalanche Advisory read.</p> <p>"Caution is advised for people tramping, hunting or on-approach to ski objectives in the valley, as it is possible for large natural avalanches to run to valley floor during or immediately after this storm. </p> <p>"The volume of precipitation coupled with rapidly fluctuating freezing levels has contributed to a complex and unstable upper snowpack."</p> <p>Lynden said the weather would stay unsettled over the weekend as a series of fronts and troughs moved across the country.</p> <p>"This means the weather remains changeable through the weekend, with a series of fronts and troughs bringing periods of rain, particularly to western and southern areas," Lynden said.</p> <p>Strong north to northwest winds were forecast for central New Zealand on Friday, with yellow strong wind watches issued for Wellington, Wairarapa south of Masterton and the Marlborough Sounds, before easing from the south later in the day.</p> <h2>Full list of weather warnings and watches</h2> <p><b>Heavy Rain Warning – Orange</b></p> <p>Ranges of the Grey and Buller Districts – 12 hours from midnight Thursday to noon Friday.</p> <p>Westland – 27 hours from 9am Thursday to noon Friday.</p> <p>Headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers about and south of Arthur's Pass – 21 hours from 3pm Thursday to noon Friday.</p> <p>Headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers – 12 hours from 2pm Thursday to 2am Friday.</p> <p><b>Strong Wind Watch</b></p> <p>Wellington, Wairarapa south of Masterton and the Marlborough Sounds – 14 hours from 6am to 8pm Friday.</p> <p><b>Heavy Snow Watch</b></p> <p>Canterbury High Country south of the Rangitata River and Otago north of Arrowtown to Ranfurly – 6 hours from 9am to 3pm Thursday.</p> <p><b>Road Snowfall Warnings</b></p> <p>Lewis Pass (SH7) – 5 hours from 6am to 11am Thursday.</p> <p>Arthur's Pass (SH73) – 10 hours from 2am to noon Thursday.</p> <p>Porters Pass (SH73) – 12 hours from midnight Wednesday to noon Thursday.</p> <p>Lindis Pass (SH8) – 13 hours from 2am to 3pm Thursday.</p> <p>Crown Range Road – 11 hours from 4am to 3pm Thursday.</p> <p>Milford Road (SH94) – 5 hours from 7am to noon Thursday.</p>