The lower parts of the North Island and almost all of the South Island are covered by MetService's severe weather warnings and watches as an active front approaches bringing heavy rain, snow and severe gales.
The front over the Tasman Sea moved over Fiordland on Wednesday and is expected to move northwards over southern and central Aotearoa on Thursday.
"This front is preceded by a strong and moist northwesterly flow and is followed by strong and cold west to southwesterlies," MetService's website said.
MetService communications head Lisa Murray told AM there was "plenty" of wind and rain across the South Island overnight, which she warns will continue.
Several orange heavy rain warnings have been issued, which MetService warns may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly.
Buller and Westland north of Otira is under a heavy rain warning from 7am Thursday to 7pm Thursday.
Westland about and south of Otira is under one too from 8pm Wednesday to 11am Thursday.
Headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers about and south of Arthur's Pass's heavy rain warning came into effect at 11pm Wednesday and is expected to expire at 11am Thursday.
Orange strong wind warnings have been issued, MetService warns strong wind gusts could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures.
Wairarapa, Wellington, and the Marlborough Sounds are under a strong wind warning from 6am Thursday to 8pm Thursday.
Ferry services across the Cook Strait do not appear to be affected by the strong winds. Flights in and out of the capital look to be unaffected too.
Canterbury High Country is under an orange strong wind warning, which came into effect at 9pm on Wednesday and will end at 12pm Thursday.
There are just as many severe weather watches as there are warnings. A heavy rain watch sits over the Tararua Range from 12pm Thursday to 9pm Thursday.
The ranges of Tasman west of Takaka are under a heavy rain watch from 11am Thursday until 8pm Thursday.
Strong wind watches have been issued for Hawke's Bay south of Hastings, and the Tararua District from 9am Thursday until 7am Friday.
Marlborough excluding the Sounds is under a strong wind watch from 6am Thursday until 6pm Thursday.
A strong wind watch has been issued for Canterbury except the High Country from 6am Thursday to 6pm Thursday.
Otago excluding Clutha is under one too from 8pm Wednesday to 12pm Thursday, so too is Clutha, Southland, Stewart Island and Fiordland from 8pm Wednesday to 11am Thursday.
Sprinkling of snow
Lisa Murray told AM spring has started with "quite a cold outbreak", with heavy snow expected above 300 meters.
"So the peaks just look nice and white, maybe even a dusting of snow down to sea level, so that's quite significant at sea level at the best of times."
A heavy snow watch is over Fiordland from 6am Thursday to 9am Friday.
Southland, Clutha, Dunedin, Central Otago and Southern Lakes are under a heavy snow watch too from 8pm Thursday to 11am Friday.
Road snowfall warnings
Murray is urging Kiwis in the South to keep a close on road closures with many State Highway networks under a road snowfall warning.
Lewis Pass, State Highway 7, is under a road snowfall warning from 1am Friday to 2pm Friday.
A road snowfall warning will come into effect at 11pm on Thursday and expire at 8am Friday.
Haast Pass, State Highway 6's road snowfall warning comes into effect at 9pm Thursday and expires 6am Friday.
Lindis Pass, State Highway 8 is under a road snowfall warning from 10pm Thursday until 6am Friday.
Crown Range Road's road snowfall warning comes into effect at 9pm Thursday and ends 5am Friday.
Milford Road, State Highway 94 is under a road snowfall warning from 10am Thuraday to 6am Friday.
Dunedin to Waitati Highway, State Highway 1's road snowfall warning comes into effect at 10pm Thursday and ends 6am Friday.
