An Antarctic blast has brought wild weather to New Zealand, including snow at sea level and wild winds battering the length of the country.
On Tuesday afternoon, Wellington declared a state of emergency in southern suburbs, evacuating a 3km stretch of road for fear of storm surges.
Hundreds of residents on Breaker Bay Road were told to leave their homes in anticipation of six-metre swells that could "present a significant risk to life and property" at high tide, expected at 9pm, according to the council.
The polar front began battering South Island on Monday, dumping snow on many towns and cities and topping up ski resorts as the snow season begins.
The front was active on Tuesday morning, continuing its way north, with roads closing due to icy and snowy conditions.
Snow has closed roads as far north as Gisborne, in the east of North Island.
In total, more than a dozen highways were shut, including state highway one in two places - just north of Dunedin and in the elevated central North Island, as well as key mountain passes on South Island.
Further south, major snowfalls in the resort town of Queenstown closed schools for the day, with authorities asking residents to avoid driving at all if possible.
Snow was reported in the coastal city of Dunedin, and back in the capital, heavy hail landed through the night, and snow flurries through the day.
News outlet Stuff reported hundreds of properties in the Wairarapa region, east of Wellington, were without power due to the storms.
Air New Zealand has warned of widespread cancellations and delays from the weather, particularly in Wellington.
The blast dampened maximum temperatures: on Tuesday, Christchurch reached just 8 degrees, while Wellington couldn't beat its overnight high of 7, spending much of the day at 4 degrees.
Australian Associated Press
