Spring is due to arrive tomorrow, but it seems winter is not done with us yet.
It is digging its claws into Otago and Southland this weekend, with plummeting temperatures and snow forecast.
Christchurch is set to hit a low of 3 deg C on Saturday before plummeting to a low of -1 deg C on Tuesday.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said a cold front was expected to move over the South Island later on Saturday and continue into Sunday.
It follows a front which is expected to cross the country tonight and become slow moving, bringing significant heavy rainfall to the West Coast, Fiordland and the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers from today to early Saturday.
A heavy rain warning is in place for Fiordland from George Sound northwards from 2pm until midnight today, MetService warned, with 60mm to 100mm forecast.
Meanwhile, a heavy rain watch has been issued for the headwaters of Otago lakes and rivers today from 5pm until 2am tomorrow, and for Fiordland south of George Sound from 2pm until midnight today.
The drop in temperature on Saturday night was expected to bring snow to much of the southern region, he said.
"We’re forecasting snow down to about 300m in Southland and the Clutha area, and certainly there will be some for parts of Otago.
"The flow does look quite westerly following this front, so it may be that lots of Otago is sheltered from that flow.
"It doesn’t look like much will get into Dunedin - possibly just a dusting.
"We’ll just have to wait until we get a bit closer to the time, to be sure about that.
"Certainly the skifields will see some fresh snow."
He said there were indications the colder-than-average temperatures would continue across the country next week, so the snow might continue into Monday and Tuesday.
Despite the forecast, he said it was still too early to say with certainty where or how much snow would fall.
He said residents should keep up-to-date with the weather forecast.
