A severe weather watch has been issued as New Zealand prepares for a cold front that'll douse the country with heavy rain.
The mid-week front is storming towards the West Coast, which will bring downpours to Fiordland and Westland from Tuesday.
Temperatures will warm in the east of the South Island ahead of the front, before being replaced by rain.
"A severe weather watch has been issued for heavy rain about Fiordland and southern Westland from late Tuesday," says MetService meteorologist Claire Nickson.
"More watches and warnings [are] likely to be issued as the event nears."
After downpours further south, the front moves northwards during Wednesday, reaching the North Island on Thursday.
As it hits the North Island, the low will bring a burst of heavy rain, with the heaviest falls expected about Mt Taranaki. As the low moves away on Friday, it leaves behind it a cool, southerly flow.
"As we head into the weekend, the rain will ease, but the southerly flow will continue to bring showers to areas exposed to the south," Nickson says.
The rain comes after New Zealand suffered through its coldest temperatures so far this year on the weekend.
Newshub.
