11:50am

Heavy snow showers continue to fall across Dunedin late this morning however WeatherWatch.co.nz is fairly confident the heaviest will be finished by noon.  The main band of snow clouds is moving across northern Canterbury bringing heavy sleet and hail showers to Christchurch but no reports of snow at this stage in the Garden City.

WeatherWatch believes if it hasn’t snowed by noon the chances are far slimmer of snow this afternoon as the sun continues to warm things up and skies clear across Canterbury.

There have been some reports of snow in Canterbury this morning (see comments below).

A secondary surge of snow showers is passing over coastal Otago currently however it isn’t expected to affect Canterbury.

Wellington will be next to receive the snow clouds with temperatures falling this afternoon and snow showers lowering on the ranges to a couple of hundred metres.  Sleet is very likely in Wellington with heavier snow on State Highway 2 across the Rimutaka Ranges.  Wind chills are likely to be below zero after the band of snow clouds moves through.

Earlier story

Snow fell to sea level across Southland and Otago this morning as part of a surge of polar air and as of 8am it was moving across Canterbury.

Latest satellite maps show the main snow clouds moving towards Christchurch however snow falls aren’t expected to be as heavy there as they were in Dunedin.

Last hour WeatherWatch.co.nz’s Dunedin reporter Callum Procter reported snow falling in Dunedin. “It’s very heavy and falling to sea level… snowing heavily in centre of city now and I suspect there will be mass closures in Dunedin”.

Mr Procter says everywhere he looks all he can see is white.

Reports are coming in for road and school closures across the city.

Our Invercargill reporter Malcolm Gayfer says snow & rain are now freezing in Invercargill making conditions slippery.  He says reports are also coming in of school closures and snow affecting roads in northern Southland.

LATEST IMAGE:  Dunedin’s Octogon as captured live by the Council’s webcam.

Snow trapped trucks on Dunedin’s southern motorway and closed State highway 1 between Milton and Balclutha according to NewstalkZB.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the main belt of snow showers is now clearing Southland and Otago with freezing air behind it.  “We can see a clearance on the satellite map and we expect conditions to improve after sunrise in Southland and Otago then further north as the day progresses”.

“However the air behind the snow is even colder so we’re advising motorists to take extreme care with black ice, possibly hidden by snow, likely in some areas until mid-morning”.

Wind chill temperatures have been extreme this morning.  Invercargill and Dunedin both have wind chills around -7 and Queenstown -8.

Meanwhile the ranges in northern Southland are recording air temperatures of -8 with estimations that wind chills are close to -20.

For current snow warnings – click here.

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Is it snowing, hailing or sleeting where you are?  Let us know – post a new comment below! 

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