This week appears to be the busiest weather week of the year so far with multiple storms and large or deep lows in the Southern Ocean affecting New Zealand with severe weather off and on.

There are two cold snaps, the first this Wednesday then the second on Friday or the weekend.

Both events are surrounded by plenty of windy weather, heavy rain and snow. However the mountains and ranges of both islands will also produce some lovely warm, sunny, weather too – mainly in the east.

We break down this big and complex forecast day by day from Monday through to Saturday.