Highways all open again after snow

All southern highways have now reopened after a polar blast caused heavy snow and left many roads closed this week.

• Snow trouble for some but welcomed by skifields

State Highway 87 between Outram and Kyeburn reopened about 1.20pm today.

Several roads were closed by the snow, including Dunedin's Northern Motorway, but all except SH87 had reopened by yesterday afternoon.

Crews were unable to remove "a mountain of snow" over the highway yesterday and continued the work with three ploughs and a loader this morning.

An update from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency said the road was fully opened as of 1.20pm.