Chilly start in store for Q'town, Central

Queenstown and Central Otago are in for some chilly nights and frosty mornings this week as temperatures drop to well below freezing. 

MetService is forecasting overnight lows as cold as -5degC for parts of Central Otago over the coming days. 

The cold mornings will likely bring increased risk of black ice on the roads, particularly in shaded areas and on bridge decks. 

This morning, a Queenstown Lakes District Council spokesman said road temperatures were at -2 to -5, with Crown Range Rd as cold as -9. 

Mt Cook, Alexandra and Queenstown were all colder than -2 well into the morning, while Dunedin Airport measured a low of just -2.6. 

There was also fog in Alexandra, Cromwell and up towards Wānaka, adding to the dangerous driving conditions. 

Danseys Pass Rd is now fully open after earlier being restricted to 4WD access only, due to snow and ice, and Shepherds Flat Rd is open after being closed by a fallen tree. 

The mountain passes remain open but extra care is advised, especially on Lindis Pass.