Aotearoa is in for cold, frosty starts next week as a weather system moves over the country.
Meteorologist Ben Noll, from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), said there was some "active weather" hitting New Zealand at the moment.
Noll said heavy rain was forecast for the northern South Island and western part of the North Island on Wednesday as it moves up the country. The wet weather is expected to reach Auckland Wednesday evening.
MetService has one weather warning in place - a heavy swell warning for Wairarapa's Turakirae Head to Mataikona from 9am to 5pm on Wednesday.
"Southwest combined waves 5.5 to 6 metres, easing to 4.5 metres this afternoon. Peak period 14 seconds," MetService warned.
But it's not the brunt of the wild weather to come.
In a social media video with colleague Principal Scientist Chris Brandolino, the pair discussed how a "huge high has its sights set on New Zealand next week".
Currently brewing in the Tasman, Noll said the chilly weather system heading towards Aotearoa was "looking pretty strong".
"From a meteorological perspective that is really strong high pressure, lots of sinking air and when you get high pressure like this you get clear skies and that can lead to cold, frosty nights," Noll said, showing a forecast for next Tuesday.
He said Kiwis will likely be running the heaters to keep warm.
"Long nights, high pressure so we're talking frosty, maybe black ice, maybe some fog," Brandolino added. "Daytime should be nice but it's those mornings and overnights that will be quite chilly."
However, the weather in mid-to-late July is forecast to pivot in a different direction.
Aside from a rainy first few days of July, the country is looking to be mainly dry until the second half of the month.
"On the whole it does look like we're going to go to an active second half of the month during July, potentially for many regions, with the risk… for some of that rain to be on the heavier side," Noll said.
"It's going to be a month of two halves, simply."
