Cold, unsettled weather is on the way for much of New Zealand in the next few days - with a likelihood of snow and gale-force winds in parts of the country.
NIWA Weather says most of the rain will fall on the West Coast of the South Island, as low as Milford Sound.
"A lot of rain is forecast for the west of the South Island," the forecaster warns.
"This will increase the risk for slips and localised flooding."
WeatherWatch is forecasting snow at high levels on the West Coast - which could impact some alpine highways.
In the North Island and upper South Island, gale-force winds could reach 160km/h on Friday and temperatures "will spring up and down significantly", WeatherWatch says.
"Rain and strong winds will lift northwards today to peak in central New Zealand on Friday and remain there on Saturday while decreasing in intensity," the forecaster said on Thursday.
It will return to mostly fine conditions across New Zealand on Saturday before the wild weather makes a comeback on Sunday.
"On Sunday another front is expected to move northeast onto the South Island. There is then moderate confidence in warning amounts of rain in Fiordland, the south of Westland and about the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers," MetService said in its severe weather outlook.
"There is low confidence that severe northwest gales will affect the Canterbury High Country."
