Readiness: Get prepared to respond to snowstorms
This page provides snowstorm readiness messages.
Make and practise your emergency plan, make a grab bag and have emergency supplies.
Stay up to date with the latest weather information from MetService, Te Ratonga Tirorangi, New Zealand’s National Weather Service. Pay attention to Watches, Warnings and Road Snowfall Warnings, which are also available on the MetService mobile app.
If you have a fireplace, consider keeping a supply of firewood or coal.
Have chimneys and wood stoves inspected annually and cleaned if necessary. Chimneys and wood stoves build up creosote, which is the residue left behind by burning wood. Creosote is flammable and needs to be professionally removed periodically. Store ashes in a metal container with a tight-fitting lid.
Protect exposed pipes from freezing by wrapping pipes in insulation or layers of newspaper and then covering them with plastic to keep out moisture.