Two days of snow, rain and bitterly cold temperatures on the east coast of both islands have caused lamb losses and added to already saturated soils.
Snow up to 50mm fell on Monday night in Southland, Otago, Canterbury, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, central North Island and Gisborne Wairoa.
Lambing has started in some lower areas of the North Island and farming leaders said there have been losses.
Snow was lying down to sea level in parts of the South Island on Monday night, and at higher altitude in the North Island where lambing has yet to begin.
Temperatures throughout much of the country have plummeted, exacerbated in some areas by wind, rain and sleet.
WeatherWatch chief forecaster Phil Duncan said the weather should improve this week, with warm, dry conditions expected.
But he warned that a legacy of the spring storm will be several days of frosts.
Federated Farmers Gisborne-Wairoa vice-president Sam Hain said it was 4degC at his farm at midday Tuesday with snow lying at higher altitude.
He is in the middle of lambing and said more than 70mm of rain had fallen in the previous 24 hours, but an excellent autumn ensured stock were in the best possible condition to handle the storm better than expected.
He was thankful it appears to be a short, sharp event.
“If we had three days of weather like this it would be very hard work,” Hain said.
Snow was lying on parts of Hawke’s Bay, where lambing is in full swing, accompanied by rain adding to already sodden ground conditions.
“It is very bleak and the chill factor is very, very cold,” said Hawke’s Bay vice-president Anthea Yule.
Snow greeted much of eastern Southland this morning. It then froze, causing the closure of many schools.
The federation’s Southland vice-president, Bernadette Hunt, said the snow started to melt in the morning and conditions were improving.
The main lambing is about a week away from starting.
Dean Rabbidge, the federation’s Southland meat and wool chair, said wind at the weekend sent the chill factor plummeting but fortunately by the time it began snowing yesterday the wind had stopped.
His Otago counterpart, Logan Wallace, said it is fortunate that the wind and snow did not arrive at the same time and that the storm was short and sharp.
“If this is our spring storm then I’ll take it,” Wallace said.
The coastal hill country areas of South Otago had the most snow but farms there were still a few weeks off from starting to lamb.
Duncan said apart from a short sharp cold snap early next week, spring should be more settled and temperatures warmer.
That means rain is expected in the west, but drier conditions are forecast for the east.
