Forecasters say the bitterly cold front will move off the country from tomorrow, having blanketed Southland and Otago in snow up to 50cm deep.
Hill country areas, where lambing is under way, has been hard hit.
Angela Brenssell, who farms with her husband Lloyd near Heriot in West Otago, says their greatest concern are areas prone to snow drifts and they have been using a snow plough to access stock.
Brenssell says there was about 50cm of snow around the house, and while lambing was under way on their home farm, there is plenty of shelter and gullies in which sheep can hunker down.
Tapanui farmer Nelson Hancox was also worried about a block of land he owns that is prone to snow drift, and he has diggers on standby if he needs to gain access and to free stock.
“It’s not flash,” he said.
“So long as we get a thaw soon, then ewes can get some grass and they should be okay from the threat of milk fever.”
One of his farms is nearly finished lambing, but another started less than a week ago.
He has been feeding out lucerne baleage.
“If we get a quick clearance and get rid of some snow, we should be okay so long as the ewes and cows can get access to some grass and there is plenty of grass under the snow,” he said.
Blair Drysdale from Balfour says about 10cm of snow was lying on his Northern Southland farm and he was hopeful there will not be any more, or the weight could snap the stems of his oil seed rape.
Lake Hawea farmer Richard Burdon says the snow line was halfway down the mountains, but the associated 90mm of rain over three days has been welcomed.
Ewes are lambing at lower altitude and he says they are fine.
Southland Federated Farmers Arable section chair Chris Dillon has used the storm to post a video on social media of his snow covered farm and parked up machinery, to highlight what he calls the unworkable freshwater regulations.
Those rules require winter crops to be resown by October 1, although Southland and Otago have been given a five-year reprieve with the deadline extended to November 1.
Dillon says he has been unable to do any sowing so far this spring, and the storm will ensure that will be the case for some time to come.
“You can see why Southland farmers are upset at current rules. They are completely unworkable,” he said.
WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan says the cold front is moving off the country and he expects conditions to improve from tomorrow.
The storm dumped up to 1m of snow on the Southern Alps, up to 50cm in the Southland, Otago and Nelson hill country.
The rain shadow effect from the Southern Alps protected Canterbury. In the North Island, 25cm of snow fell at Mt Ruapehu.
From tomorrow a high weather system will cover the country bringing north west wind and warmer temperatures.
However, Duncan warns there are likely to be frosts throughout the South Island and central North Island, which will pose a risk for fruit trees and grape vines.
Even though the storm is moving away, Duncan says it will still have a bite with snow and 10m waves expected on the Chatham Islands.
