A cold and wet weekend is likely for much of the south, as chilly southerlies are set to move up the mainland followed by rain and snow levels falling.

Initially the far south will feel the brunt of the cold and damp conditions but on Sunday and Monday, residents of Canterbury and Marlborough are likely to see significants falls of rain and snow with just single digit maximum temperatures.

Although this winter has been cool along much of the east of the South island with one significant weather event which seriously affected North Otago and South Canterbury, this one is likely to head further north and although the rainfall totals are likely to be less, the snow levels are likely to be lower and perhaps more substantial.

Ahead of the southerly, notherlies are spreading rain into many areas with some lighter falls out east.