Snow forecast for summit of Remutaka Hill Road

News from NZTA
Travellers between the Hutt Valley and the Wairarapa are warned that snow is forecast for State Highway 2 over the Remutaka Hill today.

MetService has issued a Road Snowfall Warning for the route from 4 am Tuesday until 2 am on Wednesday. Three to six centimetres of snow may accumulate near the summit.

Drivers should be prepared for winter driving conditions and slippery roads.

When the weather is bad, drivers should reduce their speed, increase their following distances, and avoid sudden braking. Road crews will be on call.

Care will also be needed if road crews are laying grit on affected sections of the highway. Drivers must take care near grit trucks and be aware the road ahead may still need to be treated.

With the southerly blast also predicted to bring strong winds and rough seas to Wellington, users of the Ngauranga to Petone section of Te Ara Tupua should be alert to waves and sea spray affecting the route on Tuesday.

Report from RNZ
Most Cook Strait ferry sailings are cancelled this morning, due to forecast high winds and large swells.

Interislander has cancelled all of its sailings, and Bluebridge has done the same except for two services earlier this morning.

Wellington’s Harbourmaster Grant Nalder said the swell is forecast to reach between 5 and 9 metres at its peak around midday, while Walton-Jones said waves of up to six metres are expected this morning.

Nalder said swells would not be as bad as some recent storms Wellington has had, but rough enough to cause disruption.