Thousands of passengers at Dunedin and Queenstown airports had their flights cancelled this morning as an icy blast hit the South. Snow has closed roads throughout the lower South Island, with drivers warned to take extreme care or delay travelling.
Shortly before 10am, communications manager Megan Crawford said the sun had started to come out and the runway was beginning to "de-ice".
Although flights had begun to depart, there was still a "backlog" of passengers.
"There will be people due to get onto flights that might not get on today," she said this morning.
An Air New Zealand flight scheduled to fly from Dunedin to Wellington at 11.35am today had been delayed and would not depart until 12.55pm.
Two other Air New Zealand flights, originally scheduled to arrive in Dunedin from Wellington and Christchurch at 11.15pm and 12.35pm respectively, had been delayed and were scheduled to arrive at 12.33pm and 12.51pm.
No further delays or cancellations have been reported. For more information on Air New Zealand flights, check here
Snow and ice at Queenstown Airport affected operations this morning, and while flights in and out of the resort resumed at midday, some delays were still expected, airport communications manager Jen Andrews said.
The airport's website showed a total of seven outbound flights have been cancelled, including three international services - two to Sydney and one to Melbourne.
Six inbound flights have also been cancelled, including the corresponding international flights.
Latest flight information is available on the airport's website.
Road conditions
From black ice in Invercargill, to snow in Dunedin and Central Otago, road conditions are less than ideal across the district, Southern District police said.
The wintry blast has affected the state highway network, closing some roads and making conditions dangerous on many others.
Police said motorists should check out their local council websites and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) website for more information on road conditions and closures.
Highways closed are: SH94 - Te Anau to Milford Sound to clear avalanche debris, SH93, Mataura to Clinton and Danseys Pass.
Caution required: SH8, Raes Junction to Milton, snow and ice; SH1, Mataura to Arthurton, snow and ice; SH6, Haast Pass, ice; SH1, Dunedin to Allanton, ice; SH97, Mossburn to Five Rivers, snow and ice; SH1, Milton to Waipahi, snow and ice; SH94, Mossburn to Gore, snow and ice; SH90, Raes Junction to Mcnab, snow and ice; SH94, Mossburn to Te Anau, snow and ice; SH6, Dipton to Kingston, snow and ice; SH1 Mataura to Bluff, snow and ice; SH6, Dipton to Invercargill, snow and ice; SH96, Mataura to Ohai, snow and ice; SH98, Dacre to Lorneville, snow and ice; SH99, Lorneville To Clifden, snow and ice.
Latest highway conditions can be checked ont the NZTA website here
The Dunedin City Council warned there was widespread snow on the city's hills and driving conditions were treacherous. Blueskin Rd, Upper Junction Rd, Three Mile Hill and Mount Cargill were closed due to snow. Council contractors are currently out inspecting the roads.
Dunedin
Dunedin hill suburbs woke to a covering of snow this morning after it fell across the city for most of the night.
Police said they attended a number of minor motor vehicle accidents this morning, but no one has been injured. A car hit a power pole on Lovelock Ave at Willowbank about 9am and there was concern the pole might topple over. Police have closed the icy road.
Blueskin Rd, Upper Junction Rd, Three Mile Hill and Mount Cargill have been closed due to snow.
The Northern Motorway (SH1) has re-opened to non-towing vehicles after snow closed the road about 9.30pm yesterday.
The Dunedn City Council reported that several bus services were disrupted this morning due to snow and ice, but most have since resumed.
However, the Abbotsford to city service has been cancelled due to black ice. Latest details can be checked here
Otago Polytechnic is closed today.
Queenstown and Central Otago
All roads throughout the Queenstown Lakes district are affected by black ice, including all state highways, making driving conditions treacherous. Snow was still falling in some Central Otago towns.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council said contractors are clearing roads but it would take some time and advised motorists that extreme care was needed. For more information, see its Facebook site.
The NZTA said there is packed snow and ice in Queenstown's CBD and Queenstown Hill, Arrowtown, the Dalefield area, Arrow Junction and Malaghans Rd.
Ice can be expected throughout the day with the low temperatures and chains should be carried if venturing into hill suburbs.
The Shotover Bridge and Lake Hayes to Gibbston is particularly icy. Roads are still being gritted and traffic is slow moving in places. Expect snow and ice along SH6 from Haast to Kingston.
The Crown Range is open with snow and chains should be carried.
Ballarat St was closed last night after it became a skating rink last night for four vehicles.
Chilly in Canterbury
Canterbury is feeling the chill too, prompting a warning to motorists there to take care. Police are urging motorists in and around Christchurch of "winter driving conditions".
Roads in sheltered areas are icy and drivers are warned to adjust their following distance and allow extra time for travel. "The roads are slippery in places and drivers should reduce speeds and drive to the conditions," police say.
More snow showers forecast
Though heavy snow warnings have been lifted for Southland, Clutha and Dunedin, more snow showers are forecast.
MetService meteorologist John Law said today even areas that avoided the snow flurries would still be cold - Twizel was down to about -6 or -7 degrees Celsius overnight - and black ice would form as moisture on the ground froze.
Any respite is still a while off.
"It's going to be a cold day then it's a cold night tonight and then it's going to be another cold day tomorrow," Mr Law said.
Black ice crashes
Police described driving conditions around the South as treacherous, with widespread snow and black ice resulting in several crashes last night.
''Police advise motorists to take care on all southern roads and to avoid all non-essential travel tonight and tomorrow morning.''
Eight trucks were stuck on Dunedin's Northern Motorway about 9.30pm yesterday, Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen said.
A minor crash on the motorway involving a truck and a car was also reported.
The motorway was closed shortly afterwards because of the weather conditions, and Three Mile Hill closed about 9pm.
Snow fell to sea level in Dunedin last night.
One Dunedin driver had a narrow escape in Maryhill. The man, who said he was a 26-year-old mechanic but did not want to be named, said the car slid about 200m before he elected to hit a power pole to stop.
His car, which ''was a write-off'', came to rest wedged between two trees, just metres from a 30m drop on Maryhill Tce. The man, who was uninjured, was ''extremely lucky'', a firefighter said at the scene.
Black ice was blamed after several cars slid off roads in Queenstown. There was at least one minor crash in the resort.
