A cold snap is about to hit the country, with temperatures set to drop in the coming week.
The cooler temperatures come after a recent spell of warmer-than-average weather, and will bring heavy snow to the mountains and ranges of the South Island.
According to Weatherwatch, daytime temperatures in the South Island will drop by 4C to 9C in the weekend and early next week, while those in the North Island will notice the snap on Thursday and Friday, with days that are 3C to 6C cooler.
The Southern Alps will get a dump of heavy snow, with more than a metre expected, but most main centres will escape relatively snow-free apart from the possibility of some flurries in Queenstown, Te Anau and Wanaka. Rain or sleet is more likely for other parts of the south, with 120mm of rain possible on the West Coast. The coming rain in Westland has prompted a severe weather watch from the Metservice over Sunday and Monday as the trough and front hit the southwest of the South Island.
The cold spell is not expected to last too long, however, with temperatures warming up a bit across the country towards the end of the coming week and into next weekend.
Newshub.
