A cold snap is looming for much of the South Island as the first heavy snow watch for the year is issued.
A map from NIWA shows a change in weather with the eastern South Island in for a temperature drop of 10 to 15 degrees from Monday to Tuesday.
A front is forecast to move onto the lower South Island from the southwest on Monday night, preceded by a strong and moist northwest flow, MetService said. The front moves northwards through central New Zealand on Tuesday and is followed by a change to cold, gale southerlies.
The cold snap brings the first heavy snow watch of 2023, with snow expected in inland parts of the South Island on Tuesday. The watch is in place for Queenstown Lakes and Central Otago, south of a line from Queenstown to Alexandra, from midnight Monday until noon Tuesday.
"Snow is expected to lower to 500 metres. Heavy snow is possible above 700 metres, and may approach warning amounts above this level," MetService said.
Road snowfall warnings have also been issued for Lewis Pass (SH7), Porters Pass (SH73), Lindis Pass (SH8) and Crown Range Road for Tuesday.
Meanwhile, a heavy rain watch remains in force for the ranges of Westland south of Whataroa from 10pm Monday until 7am Tuesday, and for Fiordland from 6pm until midnight Monday.
A heavy rain watch has also been issued for Southland from 8pm Monday until noon Tuesday.
Additionally, strong wind watches have been issued for coastal Marlborough including the Sounds, Wellington and Banks Peninsula for Tuesday.
MetService's short forecast for Monday:
Northland, Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Gisborne
Fine spells. Isolated showers, possibly heavy and thundery about Northland and northern Coromandel in the afternoon and evening.
Waikato to Taranaki, also the central high country and Hawke's Bay
Scattered rain, possibly heavy and thundery in the afternoon and evening.
Whanganui to Kapiti Coast
Partly cloudy. A few showers about the ranges.
Wellington, Wairarapa, Nelson and Marlborough
Fine, apart from a few areas of morning cloud.
Buller and Westland
Fine spells and isolated showers, turning to rain in southern Westland from evening.
Canterbury and Otago
Fine apart from a few areas of morning low cloud. Rain developing at night for Clutha.
Fiordland and Southland
Showers about Fiordland and Stewart Island, but mainly fine elsewhere. Rain developing evening, possibly heavy.
Chatham Islands
A few showers.
