More snow on the way for South, chance of Dunedin being hit

OTAGO DAILY TIMES / OTAGO IMAGESVehicles drive in icy conditions on State Highway 1, between Dunedin and Waitati, following snow. Photo: Gerard O'Brien Dunedin may get its first solid snowfall later this week, brought by another polar blast from the Southern Ocean. Temperatures are forecast to reach the mid-teens on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, as strong northwesterlies hit the South Island. However, it was a cold start for many on Tuesday, with sub-zero temperatures in much of inland Otago, and warnings for motorists to take care on roads. MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden said the northwesterlies would strengthen as the week progressed, before swinging around to the southwest later on Thursday, ahead of a front which would bring heavy rain to the western South Island. Expect another frosty morning on Tuesday, especially for inland and sheltered areas of both islands. The lower South Island will start the day milder thanks to a blanket of cloud cover. Otherwise, it's wintry cold morning for most of NZ. pic.twitter.com/f3h4BfL7nN — NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) July 27, 2026 The front would then move across the South Island, spreading showers as it passed. Behind the front, cooler southerly winds would return, bringing another drop in temperatures and the potential for widespread snow down to low levels for much of inland Otago and Southland by noon on Friday. And unlike last weekend, he said there was a good possibility this weekend’s frigid blast could also affect Dunedin’s hill suburbs. “Comparing last weekend’s model to what we're seeing in models for this coming weekend, it's a very similar looking type of set-up, where we have this front move over the country, followed by some really cold southerlies with a bit of instability and a fair bit of moisture pushing in to the south coast and indeed Dunedin. “So, it does look like there is a chance of snow to low levels, potentially affecting the highways and higher areas in the city. “But with that said, it’s a bit early to really give any quantitative estimates about how much will fall.” He urged people to keep a watch on the forecasts later in the week and take extra care when out on the roads. Any snow that did fall, was expected to clear throughout Saturday, he said. john.lewis@odt.co.nz