With up to 40 centimetres of snow around Dannevirke, motorists were being warned to take care on the roads.
At the Tararua District Council, Peter Wimsett, manager strategy and district development, said the council was in "operational mode" and waiting to see what the weather would bring, but there was quite a lot of surface flooding throughout the district.
"As the snow turned to slush, motorists were having problems and it seems the snow is worse in Dannevirke than further south in Woodville," Mr Wimsett said.
Screeching of brakes and the occasional fish-tail were signs motorists were being caught out by the snow and slush. A snowfall of this intensity is normally only experienced once every six years or so in Dannevirke. Yesterday morning the Pahiatua/Pongaroa Rd was closed and there was flooding on Huxley and Tiraumea Streets in Pahiatua.
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"This is just a good winter storm at this stage," Mr Wimsett said. "But already we're seeing interruption to cellular services, some wireless, internet and power fluctuations."
However, Mr Wimsett said with high winds predicted to sweep through later today, he was expecting there would be trouble with slips and trees falling.
At Otope, east of Dannevirke, landscape gardener Sue Buchanan said trees were snapping and breaking under the strain of the wet snow and high winds. "It's a big white-out and a big clean-up to be done," she said.
At 10am yesterday Mr Wimsett said wind gusts of up 168 kilometers an hour were being recorded at Castlepoint in Waiarapa and a coastal weather station in our area was recording wind at 57/km an hour, gusting up to 112km.
"It's about hunkering down and not travelling unless you have to," he said.
Police were also urging motorists to avoid the Saddle Rd until the weather cleared.