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Road Conditions NZ - Late September



 
 
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  #1  
Old April 16th, 2005, 05:18 PM
Simon
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Default Road Conditions NZ - Late September

We are planning a trip to the South Island in late September, and whilst I
know we have missed winter - are we likely to encounter issues with road
closures in places like Milford Sound and Arthur's Pass?

Whilst I know none of us have crystal balls, it's hard to find historical
reports from previous years?

Any suggestions / tips would be most welcomed.

Thanks in anticipation.


  #2  
Old April 17th, 2005, 01:57 AM
Scotty
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"Simon" wrote in message
...
We are planning a trip to the South Island in late September, and whilst I
know we have missed winter - are we likely to encounter issues with road
closures in places like Milford Sound and Arthur's Pass?

Whilst I know none of us have crystal balls, it's hard to find historical
reports from previous years?

Any suggestions / tips would be most welcomed.

Thanks in anticipation.


Simon,
the effects of Winter down South lasts for some time if its a particularly
bad season. Chains or slicks could be the way to go but seeing as NZ weather
changes so damn often its impossible to tell unless you ask locals (the chap
that lives on that road I mean not any Kiwi) who can give you some historic
idea.



  #3  
Old April 17th, 2005, 11:41 AM
Ralph Fox
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On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 17:18:50 +0100, in message
, Simon wrote:

We are planning a trip to the South Island in late September, and whilst I
know we have missed winter - are we likely to encounter issues with road
closures in places like Milford Sound and Arthur's Pass?


http://www.milfordroad.co.nz/html/avalanchehazard.html

• The Milford Road can be seriously affected by ice, snow and avalanches.
• The avalanche season is normally June to November but can extend outside of this time frame.


Whilst I know none of us have crystal balls, it's hard to find historical
reports from previous years?


http://www.metservice.com/default/in...ic=2003spring0

| 3 September. Heavy rain on West Coast with snow on the ranges;
| heavy falls continuing in Fiordland (above about 500m) keeps
| Milford Road closed. Snow reaches low levels inland western
| Southland in evening.

http://www.metservice.com/default/in...ic=1998summer0

| 7 December. Cold westerlies over southwest South Island bring
| fresh snow on mountains. Milford Road blocked by snow at Homer
| Tunnel.

http://www.metservice.com/default/in...ic=2000summer1

| Then overnight 30-31 December, snow fell to an even lower 600m
| in Fiordland, closing the Milford-Te Anau road.


I don't imagine that any one year will be typical of another,
neither the year which you read reports from, nor the year
in which you plan to go on your trip.


Any suggestions / tips would be most welcomed.

Thanks in anticipation.



--
Cheers,
Ralph

Change is inevitable. Progress is optional.

  #4  
Old April 17th, 2005, 09:42 PM
JohnM
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Default

In article .nz, Ralph
Fox writes
On Sat, 16 Apr 2005 17:18:50 +0100, in message
, Simon wrote:

We are planning a trip to the South Island in late September, and whilst I
know we have missed winter - are we likely to encounter issues with road
closures in places like Milford Sound and Arthur's Pass?


http://www.milfordroad.co.nz/html/avalanchehazard.html

0 0 this time frame.


Indeed. When I was there this year a party who were hiking in _March_ on
the Milford Sound witnessed an avalanche and had to take the longer,
circuitous route.

I think it should be borne in mind that the climate of New Zealand -
especially in the South Island - is highly unpredictable.

--
JohnM: Country & Western Song Titles #10
--------------------------------
JIMMY BUFFET: "If The Phone Don't Ring, It's Me"
  #5  
Old April 18th, 2005, 06:37 AM
Jack
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We traveled by motorhome in late Sept 2003.
Weather was cool but by no means freeze your socks off. Roads were quiet.

We did not get down to Milford due to avelanchce risk had the road closed,
and there was just enough snow for skiing at Qtown (poor snow season they
said).

On our day of departure Arthurs Pass and the one to the north who's name
escapes me...were both closed due to heavy snow (down to 300m).

South Island is a looong way south v what Aussies have any perspective on
and the conditions are probably never 'normal'.





"Simon" wrote in message
...
We are planning a trip to the South Island in late September, and whilst I
know we have missed winter - are we likely to encounter issues with road
closures in places like Milford Sound and Arthur's Pass?

Whilst I know none of us have crystal balls, it's hard to find historical
reports from previous years?

Any suggestions / tips would be most welcomed.

Thanks in anticipation.




  #6  
Old April 18th, 2005, 07:39 AM
Neil Raines
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Default

While it may snow on mountain passes, just plan a couple of days in
Christchurch at the end of your holiday in case you are delayed. The roads
are not normally closed for more than 48 hours. A Subaru 4x4 could be
useful.


"Simon" wrote in message
...
We are planning a trip to the South Island in late September, and whilst I
know we have missed winter - are we likely to encounter issues with road
closures in places like Milford Sound and Arthur's Pass?

Whilst I know none of us have crystal balls, it's hard to find historical
reports from previous years?

Any suggestions / tips would be most welcomed.

Thanks in anticipation.




 




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