The main southerly blast is today pushing into the North Island with heavy snow about the ranges and Central Plateau and snow flurries as far north as the Waikato mountains.

Snow flurries are forecast for Christchurch and Queenstown this morning and sleet and hail for Wellington with snow flurries above a couple of hundred metres, settling above 300m.

But a powerful high means dry, sunny, weather is coming back – with a milder airflow by this weekend.