The South Island is set to swing from severe gales to snow, with meteorologists forecasting snow showers to low levels.
Gusts over 130km/h, around 50,000 lightning strikes and heavy rain lashed the lower parts of New Zealand on Sunday, the front responsible now moving north and expected to cross the North Island by the end of Tuesday.
The heaviest falls are expected over the ranges of Buller, the Tararua Range and Mt Taranaki. Severe northwest gales are possible for Buller, Marlborough, western Nelson, Wellington, Wairarapa and inland Hawke's Bay.
But cold air is set to swoop in behind, bringing snow showers to low levels, with MetService saying snow levels of around 600 metres are expected in Canterbury and 200 metres farther south. Road snowfall warnings have been issued for the South Island's alpine passes.
Then after a brief settled midweek, another broad weather system is forecast to affect the North Island from late Wednesday, which could bring heavy rain to Auckland.
"As that low rolls down, it drives onshore easterly winds into Te Ika a Maui North Island, bringing sub-tropical air with it," MetService meteorologist Andrew James says.
"As that moist air hits the hills, we're expecting heavy rain for Coromandel, Bay of Plenty and the east coast from East Cape to Wairarapa."
