A significant cold change is coming in this weekend, starting as early as Friday for the lower South Island and going nationwide by the end of Saturday. It will bring snow to the hills and ranges of the South Island and to the mountains and ranges of the North Island – although snowfall levels and totals are not yet locked in.

The wind flow will be south to south-west for many regions this weekend – and our mountains and ranges will block moisture for some, bringing sunny and/or dry weather into certain regions. Most wet weather will be in the south and west of the South Island and the western side of the North Island.

Before this all arrives we still have a fair amount of high pressure around – bringing a dry and fairly sunny start to the week in the South Island, but some lower pressure around the upper North Island today will drag in some showers and areas of rain.