YOU'VE GOT MAIL: A letterbox is covered in snow in Fernhill.

WHITE OUT: Up to 10cm of snow had fallen in Dalefield by 9am.

SNOW MECCA: Business appeared to be picking up in Queenstown, with more people in the shops and cafes following the snowfalls.

SNOWBOUND: Heavy snow forced most of the Southern skifields to shut at the weekend.

Oh, the irony.

After weeks of praying for snow so Wanaka's skifields could finally open for the season, it was the very thing that forced most of them shut at the weekend.

After a wintry blast hit Queenstown, Wanaka and parts of Central Otago, Treble Cone, which had hoped to open yesterday, was forced to remain closed.

PRETTY PICTURE: A snow-covered Queenstown after heavy snowfalls during the weekend.

General manager Jackie van der Voort could see the irony in the heavy snowfall closing the skifield for the day. "On Thursday we had nothing and now the mountain is completely blanketed."

Ms van der Voort said it did not look like the weather would clear until Thursday and, even if the skifield opened in the next couple of days, it would be only the learners area open.

"The risk of avalanches in the other areas is too high.

"Until we've got that risk controlled, they won't be opening."

While Cardrona skifield was also closed yesterday because of snow, high winds and poor visibility, it did open on Friday, for the first time, and on Saturday.

Operations manager Gary Husband said a good number of skiers took to the slopes, with everyone having a great time and happy to be out skiing at last.

Coronet Peak received at least 20cm of new snow overnight on Saturday and was open yesterday.

The Remarkables ski area was closed for the day.

Queenstown cafe worker Sylvia Menzies said there had been a "great buzz" around the town during the past few days, as the wintry weather finally hit the town.

"Everyone seems excited they can finally go skiing and work on the mountains. They've been waiting for so long."

Business appeared to be picking up in the town, with more people in the shops and cafes, she said.

Despite snow reaching low levels in Queenstown yesterday, police reported only one crash on the roads in and around town.

Acting Sergeant Mel Rowlands said a car lost control and rolled down a bank near the Nevis Bluff about 10.15am.

The two occupants of the vehicle were taken to Lakes District Hospital. Their condition was unknown.

Ms Rowlands said it was too early to determine whether road conditions were a factor in the crash.

Meanwhile, several Air New Zealand, Pacific Blue and Qantas flights in and out of Queenstown were cancelled yesterday because of the weather.

An Air New Zealand spokesman said the airline had cancelled or diverted 10 flights, with about 1000 passengers affected.

The passengers were either transferred to the next available service or, in a couple of cases, transported by road to Queenstown.

Snow also fell in some parts of Southland at the weekend.

The Milford road between Knobs Flat and Milford Sound was closed as snow fell to road level, while other parts of State Highway 94 were closed to towing vehicles.

emma.dawe@stl.co.nz