New Zealanders are urged to "grab the blankets and the hot chocolate" as icy weather is set to chill parts of Aotearoa this week.
In a forecast shared to its YouTube channel on Wednesday, MetService meteorologist John Law warned a polar blast is on its way, bringing the risk of snowfall to higher passes across the South Island.
A northbound front is set to bring cloudy conditions and wet weather to Canterbury as of Wednesday night, with the High Country expected to see snowfall down to about 500 to 600 metres.
"That's low enough to impact places like the Crown Range Rd this afternoon - Porters Pass, Lewis Pass, Arthur's Pass - so there are some road snowfall warnings," he said.
A southerly change is then en-route to Wellington, possibly spelling high winds for the capital overnight. Cloudy, wet weather could also be on the cards for the lower half of the North Island as of Thursday morning - so Wellingtonians, think about bringing in the laundry this evening.
Auckland, Northland, Waikato and the Bay of Plenty may escape the cloud, but that means cooler temperatures overnight, he warned - prompting MetService to urge locals to bring out the extra blankets.
Cold air is also expected to hit the far end of the South Island as the clouds clear. Those in Queenstown and Wānaka will need to rug up, with the early morning set to sit around -2 to -3C, while areas of southern Canterbury will also sit around or just below freezing - Twizel is in for a particularly icy start at -5C. Hamilton and Taupō are also forecast to hit the 1C or 0C mark, while Auckland may sit around 6C.
"Across those clearer slots in the far north and western parts of the North Island, it's still very cold - another cold, frosty start for places like Waikato, Taupō and Rotorua, so a chilly old start first thing on Thursday," Law said.
Western parts of the country may see drier weather, with Auckland likely to still see clear, sunny skies, while cloudy and wetter conditions will persist for the eastern side of the North Island throughout Thursday.
Another cold night is expected to continue into Friday morning, Law added, due to the conditions clearing in the evening. In the South Island, overnight temperatures on Thursday and into the morning may hit -4C and -3C on the eastern side.
"Where it stays clear, it stays cold - a cold and frosty morning first thing on Friday."
Friday's weather is set to remain similar, Law said, with dry, clear conditions to continue on the western sides of the North and South Island. Eastern areas can expect more clouds and potential showers throughout the day, particularly in Mahia and the Wairoa District.
Frosty morning conditions may continue into the weekend, he noted - although "the further west you are, the drier it will be".
