Freezing overnight temperatures and a truck crash have closed the Desert Road from Waiouru to Rangipo.
The stretch of State Highway 1 in the central North Island was closed shortly after 3am this morning, after a 18-wheeler truck rolled about 5-kilometres north of Waiouru.
Conditions in the area were horrendous, a police spokesman said.
The truck was not carrying dangerous goods and the driver was unharmed.
Showers on Monday night caused icy conditions and snow in below-zero temperatures overnight.
There is no indication about when the road will reopen and detours are in place on State Highways 46 and 47.
A Metservice duty forecaster said there had been some showers on Monday and the temperature at 6am this morning was -3 degrees Celsius.
"It doesn't look like there was a lot of snow, but it's probably frozen as it's so cold, so I'm not surprised [the road has] been closed."
Once the sun rose the area would probably warm up enough to make driving safe again, she said.
Southbound traffic should use State Highways 46 and 47 to Tongariro National Park, left onto State Highway 4 and then left onto State Highway 49 to Waiouru. The reverse applies for northbound traffic.
Warnings are also in place for State Highway 5 from Napier to Taupō, with winter conditions expected.
Source: Stuff.co.nz and NZ Newswire
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