TWO men trapped in their car in deep snow and sub-zero temperatures have been rescued at the end of a day of freezing weather.

The two men, aged in their 30s, were driven to safety by their police rescuers after being trapped in their car on the Lake Dobson Rd in Mt Field National Park since Sunday night.

The Westpac Rescue Helicopter had earlier located the two men who had become snowbound in a Subaru WRX but efforts to pluck them to safety failed.

The rescue helicopter was about to attempt to winch them aboard but extreme weather forced it back to base.

A local ground crew, with the assistance of a road contractor, made its way to the site to rescue the pair.

Tasmania Police used an excavator to push deep snow drifts off the road. A police spokeswoman said the heavy machinery had to travel 6km before it reached the men.

A police 4WD with a rescue team followed the exavator. Up to two feet of snow was on the road.

Read more in tomorrow’s Mercury.

Meanwhile, it looks like the snow and icy conditions are set to continue this week, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing a warning to motorists for tonight and tomorrow morning.

Regional Director for Tasmania John Bally said: “Snow is forecast to continue to fall about the state tonight and tomorrow, but the snow line will gradually rise tonight, affecting mostly highland areas. Tuesday night the snow line will start to lower again, when we are likely to see snow fall to low elevations again,” Mr Bally said.

Another burst of cold air on Wednesday morning will produce more showers and snow across much of the state, settling to around 300 to 400 metres.

Lower falls to around 100 metres in the west and south of state are also possible.

“Repeat snowfalls may lead to continuing road closures across the highlands on Tuesday and Wednesday, and for the lower parts of the west and south on Wednesday morning.

“While snow is possible in Hobart again on Wednesday, at this stage we are not expecting snow to be as heavy or as low as it has been today,” Mr Bally said.

EARLIER –

THE rescue helicopter has landed near a couple whose vehicle is stuck in deep snow in the Mt Field National Park.

The helicopter landed in a clear area a short distance from the car and the crew is walking to the vehicle.

While searching for the couple and their car, the crew located another car stuck in the snow.

However, those occupants were reportedly well-prepared and wanted to stay with the car.

MORE: ONE DEAD AFTER TWO-VEHICLE CRASH IN BRIDGEWATER

Earlier this afternoon, attempts use a snow plough to reach the couple were abandoned because conditions were too hazardous.

“The couple spent last night in their vehicle and contacted police this morning. They are in good health,” a police statement said.

“If the helicopter cannot reach the couple then a ground rescue party will be dispatched.”

Police said at noon that rescuers were about an hour from meeting the two adults, but at 2.30pm police had still not reached the pair.

“That vehicle is under about ¾ of a foot of snow at the moment,” Inspector Gary Williams said at noon.

“We are having some difficulty getting to that vehicle but we have snow plough on the way.

“My understanding is that they were aware of the warnings but drove to that location anyway and got stuck.”

He has otherwise warned other motorists to drive to the hazardous conditions.

Inspector Williams confirmed West Coast communities remained isolated.

Meanwhile, Ambulance Tasmania is bracing for more call-outs to snowed-in communities, particularly the West Coast towns of Queenstown, Strahan and Zeehan.

Ambulance spokesman Zac Morgan said the state’s 10 four-wheel-drive ambulances and rescue helicopter had been called into action already today due to snow and ice.

CHECK OUT OUR MEGA SNOW GALLERY

The rescue helicopter flew this morning from Hobart to Hastings in the state’s south to pick up a patient, he said.

A paramedic battled through the conditions from Hounville to Hastings by four-wheel-drive ambulance to give initital treatment before calling in the chopper, he said.

The patient was suffering an emergency medical condition and was taken to Royal Hobart Hospital.

“The helicopter was called because road transport would have taken far too long due to the snow and ice,” he said.

In a separate incident also this morning, a four-wheel-drive ambulance was able to travel from Burnie to Waratah and retrieve another patient suffering a medical emergency, Mr Morgan said.

“The Queenstown, Strahan, Zeehan area are completely isolated at the moment,” Mr Morgan said 11.30am.

“We haven’t had anything happen there yet but it’s in the back of our minds that we’ll send the helicopter there if we need to.”

Otherwise there had been a remarkable lack of car accident call-outs so far, Mr Morgan said.

media_camera The view of New Norfolk today from the Peppermint Hill lookout. Picture: MEGAN JACKSON

The snow that delivered high excitement to Hobart and surrounding areas is beginning to melt and roads are gradually reopening, but Tasmania Police advise motorists to use extreme caution.

The Tasmania Police website is back up and running after being unable to display its list of road closures and community alerts since about 6.30am. Road Closures are being mapped on TasAlert: please follow the link to see a map with updated road closures: www.alert.tas.gov.au/Pages/Home.aspx

Police said their Facebook page was the best place to find updates, conditions were changing “by the minute”.

media_camera Snow at Kingston Beach. media_camera St Peter’s Pass. Picture: AMANDA DUCKER

Today’s snowfall failed to match the volume of snow that fell in 1986, weather bureau forecaster Tristran Oakley said.

FLASHBACK: SNOW IN THE CITY

It was more comparable with a lighter snowfall in 2005, he said.

“In 1986 many of the roads were also shut but we had snow settling down in the city.

“This time around it hasn’t really settled in the city at all.

“In 2005 there was snow down to sea level as well and so today is more comparable to that event.”

Mr Oakley said that in 2005 snow fell in Tasmania’s west and south to sea-level over a few days.

He said there would be some more sleet-showers about Hobart for the rest of the morning.

They will turn into rain showers through the afternoon, lifting to the snow line to about 300m, he said.

As those showers ease into the night tonight the snow level will lift to 500m, he said.

“There have been reports of snow down to sea-level at Kingston with some snow settling on the beaches down there,” he said. “In Hobart the snow hasn’t actually settled unless you are at about 50-100m above sea level.

“Suburbs surrounding that level have had snow settle but it’s all beginning to melt now.”

Weather warnings can be viewed at www.bom.gov.au.

media_camera Snow in Hobart from Bellerive Picture: LEIGH WINBURN

Enjoying the snow at The Springs on Mt Wellington yesterday were Zofia and Jozef Soszynski, of New Town. Their mother, Eleanor Braithwaite, said it was “good for the soul” to get out and enjoy the outdoors in winter.

“The kids said it was great to put the iPads down and get into nature,” she said.

– with Loretta Lohberger