Contractors were ''fighting a losing battle'' at times yesterday to keep the Central Otago roading network open in the face of a prolonged snowstorm.
Heavy snowfalls, producing snowdrifts up to 2m deep in places like St Bathans, resulted in cleared roads quickly becoming impassable again.
The issues with the roading network, combined with a forecast of more snow today, prompted the Central Otago District Council to activate its emergency operations centre.
Council emergency management officer Hamish Keith said the seriousness of the situation was complicated by the fact many people would want to travel to the Winter Festival in Queenstown this weekend, using some of the affected roads.
''Our centre has been activated to its first level, which is a monitoring status really. It means we'll be holding regular cross-agency meetings to discuss the situation with roading authorities, the council and police, seeing what can be done to share resources, to help improve the situation.''
Mr Keith said people should stay off the roads if possible and urged sports groups to cancel weekend games. Clearing main roads was the first priority.
More severe weather is expected to hit Otago and Southland today. Snow showers were expected to low levels overnight and today. Heavy snow is expected to fall down to 300m.
This was to be followed by severe frosts tonight and tomorrow morning. For the Maniototo and parts of the Teviot Valley, yesterday was the second consecutive day of snow, so it could be several days before roads to all houses in the district were cleared, Mr Keith said.
Motorists in Central Otago should carry chains and also be aware roads could be closed at any time as conditions deteriorated, he said. CODC roading manager Julie Muir said Maniototo residents were saying it was the deepest snowfall they had seen. A grader clearing snow at St Bathans yesterday got stuck in a snowdrift and had to be pulled out by a local farmer, using a bulldozer.
''Earlier today, we were fighting a losing battle to keep roads open as more snow fell, but I think we're getting on top of it, hopefully - providing there's no more snow.''
By 5pm yesterday, a route had been cleared into all the district's towns, and most houses in country areas were accessible, even if only by tractor or 4WD vehicle.
''Our priority is to provide access to people and houses - we're not able to clear roads beyond houses to give farmers access to their stock, in the back-country areas.''
If no more snow fell, ice would be the next critical issue, Ms Muir said.
''Even cleared roads are still wet, and with temperatures expected to hit -8degC, they're going to freeze and for probably the next five days the roads are going to be quite treacherous.''
A grit truck was one of about six vehicles that slid off State Highway 8 at Fruitlands between Roxburgh and Alexandra yesterday morning, prompting the road closure.
Sergeant Derek Ealson, of Alexandra, said heavy snow and ice made driving hazardous and the road was closed for the morning. No-one was injured when the cars left the highway
and the vehicles were all able to be driven away, once chains were fitted and grit applied to the road, he said.
Heavy snow in the Teviot Valley yesterday and Thursday meant 12-15 houses in the area were without power for more than 24 hours. Delta systems control manager Graeme Johnson said snow-laden tree branches had broken power lines and the weight of snow on lines also caused problems.
A team of 12 people was working to fix three broken lines yesterday, in ''trying conditions'' .
Ministry of Education regional operations deputy secretary Katrina Casey said the extreme weather forced the closure of 30 schools in Otago and Southland. Other schools had started late while others closed early as weather conditions deteriorated.
Roads closed
Closed until further notice:
• *SH8 Twizel to Fairlie (Burkes Pass).
• SH8 Lindis Pass.
• SH85 Omakau To Idaburn.
• SH85 Ranfurly To Palmerston.
• SH94 Homer Tunnel to Milford Sound.
• SH79 Geraldine to Fairlie.
• SH87 Kyeburn to Outram.
• SH80 Glentanner to Mt Cook.
*As at 10.30pm yesterday.
