Winter is coming for the South Island as snow is predicted this weekend, following a week of unsettled weather.
Snow is predicted to reach 500 metres in places in the deep south as the first big wintery blast of 2022 moves in.
MetService said the warm air mass currently over the country is set to be replaced by colder air on Friday, causing the potential for low levels of snow in Southland and Otago.
Weather Watch said some snow is expected to fall about the ranges on Saturday.
"Snow may get as low as 400m about the far south, 500m for Canterbury and 700m for the Central Plateau and eastern North Island."
"This doesn’t mean snow will be heavy to the above levels, there may only be a dusting or few flurries down to the above levels, it’s when you go even higher that snow potential goes up in terms of chance and how much snow may settle."
This follows a week of rain and wind until the end of the week, with warnings and watches in place for parts of the country.
On Tuesday, Metservice issued heavy rain warnings for Mount Taranaki and Tongariro National Park, and a rain watch in Tararua Range.
While strong wind and rain watch for most of the South Island has been issued.
