increase font size
The Southland District Council is advising drivers in central Southland against unnecessary travel, due to widespread icy conditions.
Snow overnight has caused treacherous conditions on roads around the district, with many areas of black ice. A number of vehicles have already slid off the roads, say council officials.
The Edendale and Wyndham areas are also badly hit, with ice covered roads throughout the area. Te Anau escaped the snow, but had a very heavy frost, which has also left ice on the roads.
Roading asset management engineer Hartley Hare says people need to be extremely cautious, as the conditions could be very dangerous.
“The roads are very icy in places that have had snow. Our contractors are monitoring the situation but we are advising that people take extreme care and if they can, delay non-essential travel in worst hit areas.”
Heavy snow has closed the Southern Scenic Route detour via Tahakopa Valley Road. Anyone intending to travel via the Catlins is advised to instead use State Highway 1.
Colac Foreshore Rd also remains closed due to stretched resources caused by the weather.
The conditions have affected state highways in the district as well, State Highway 94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound is closed and NZTA have closed the Edendale Hill section of State Highway 1, and advised caution in other areas.
Conditions are also expected to be dangerous tomorrow, with the possibility of freezing temperatures causing black ice on the roads.
Council staff and contractors will continue monitoring the roads.
OPINION: Feds Southland 'pres' Jason Herrick and colleagues who continue the good fight against bureaucratic madness on behalf of farmers, have had another win - for now, at least - getting a court decision granting a 'stay' on rules in the Southland Water and Land Plan until changes can be made to section 70 of the RMA by central goverment, somtheing they clearly signaled after the election.
Federated Farmers says it welcomes a recent court decision which granted a stay on rules in the Southland Water and Land Plan until legislative changes can be made by government.
Rural Communities Minister Mark Patterson says the present weather conditions remain challenging for farmers.
While it has been a great spring and summer for farmers, soil moisture levels in the Waikato are now plummeting as the dry February starts to bite.
Southland Federated Farmers president Jason Herrick says farmers are prepared for winter grazing every year.
Among the regular exhibitors at last month’s South Island Agricultural Field Days, the one that arguably takes the most intensive preparation every time is the PGG Wrightson Seeds site.
Two high producing Canterbury dairy farmers are moving to blended stockfeed supplements fed in-shed for a number of reasons, not the least of which is to boost protein levels, which they can’t achieve through pasture under the region’s nitrogen limit of 190kg/ha.
Buoyed by strong forecasts for milk prices and a renewed demand for dairy assets, the South Island rural real estate market has begun the year with positive momentum, according to Colliers.
The six young cattle breeders participating in the inaugural Holstein Friesian NZ young breeder development programme have completed their first event of the year.
New Zealand feed producers are being encouraged to boost staff training to maintain efficiency and product quality.
OPINION: The world is bracing for a trade war between the two biggest economies.
OPINION: In the same way that even a stopped clock is right twice a day, economists sometimes get it right.
OPINION: The proposed RMA reforms took a while to drop but were well signaled after the election.
