Snow is set to blanket southern parts of the country this weekend with a forecaster warning "a cold front is coming".
WeatherWatch said this front will hit the southern half of the South Island on Friday night and Saturday bringing rain as well as some snow.
MetService warned that "large accumulations" are possible in watch areas and may be upgraded to an orange warning.
Heavy snow watches (yellow) have been issued for parts of central Otago/Ōtākou and south Canterbury/Waitaha High Country, above 500m. They may possibly be upgraded to warnings (orange) as large deposits of snow are possible.
The heaviest snow is forecast to fall above 600m, but could still affect some mountain passes.
Road snowfall warnings (orange) have been issued for Porters Pass, Haast Pass, Lindis Pass, Crown Range Rd, and Milford Rd.
Meteorologist John Law told Newshub it's not unusual to see snowfall at this time of year in some southern regions.
"However, as the first of the year it's always a good reminder that winter is not that far away," he added.
Meanwhile, the North Island/Te Ika a Māui is set to have a relative stunner of a weekend.
A high-pressure system spanning across the north will bring fine and dry weather for most areas, although the mornings may be chilly.
Heavy snow watches have been issued for the following areas:
Canterbury High Country (south of Rangitata River)
From 3pm Saturday to noon Sunday, lasting 21 hours
Heavy snowfall is possible above 500m, possibly exceeding warning criteria.
Southern Lakes and central Otago (north of Alexandra)
From 6am Saturday to 6am Sunday, lasting 24 hours
Heavy snowfall is possible above 600m where amounts may approach, or even exceed, warning criteria.
In addition, road snowfall warnings have been issued for the following areas:
Porters Pass (SH73)
From 9pm Saturday to 7am Sunday, lasting 10 hours
Up to 3cm of snow could accumulate near the summit, with lesser amounts down to 800m.
Haast Pass (SH6)
From midnight Friday to 6am Sunday, lasting 30 hours
Up to 5cm of snow could accumulate on the road.
Lindis Pass (SH8)
From noon Saturday to 10am Sunday, lasting 22 hours
Up to 20cm of snow could accumulate near the summit, with lesser amounts down to 300m.
Crown Range Road
From 8am to 5pm on Saturday, lasting nine hours
Up to 4cm of snow or more could accumulate near the summit, with lesser amounts down to 400m.
Milford Road (SH94)
From 7am to 1pm on Saturday, lasting six hours
Up to 5cm of snow or more could accumulate above 700m, with lesser amounts down to 400m.
