District weathers polar conditions

MANAWATU District escaped relatively unscathed after the predicted snow and icy temperatures covered the region earlier this week in a winter blast that sent weather recorders searching for comparable bone-chilling events.

Former Feilding Borough and Manawatu District Councillor, Alan Mason, said Monday night’s minimum air temperature of -3.5 degrees Celsius was the coldest for Feilding in the 40 years he had been taking records.

Born in Feilding nearly 90 years ago, Mr Mason said he had never experienced such snow in Feilding.

“We have had the odd fall, but it’s usually gone almost as soon as it hits the ground, and we were lucky that we didn’t get any wind with it.”

Mr Mason said the minimum ground temperature recorded was – 7 degrees Celsius, “and that is cold!”.

Snowfalls turned much of the district into a picturesque wonderland, but there was no significant disruption to traffic.

Ice closed the Saddle Road, from Ashhurst to Woodville, while the Rangiwahia Road, from the Apiti turnoff to Rangiwahia, became marginal, with only 4WD vehicles allowed through, and then only at slow speed and with extreme caution.

A grader was sent to the site as well as a spreader truck to apply grit.

Further snowfalls were expected for the next few days.