Time to get some firewood in.
Temperatures are expected to plummet on Tuesday as a strong cold southerly whips up the South Island, bringing snow down to 600m.
A MetService spokesman said a front was expected to move on to the far south of the South Island on Monday, then race north over the remainder of southern and central New Zealand on Tuesday, before weakening and stalling over northern New Zealand on Wednesday.
"This front is also likely to be preceded by a period of heavy rain in the west, and strong-to-gale-force northwest winds in exposed places."
For Fiordland and the ranges of Westland (south of the glaciers), it was likely a warning would be required for a period of heavy rain associated with the front from Monday into Tuesday, he said.
There was also a possibility of heavy rain for the ranges of Westland from the glaciers to Otira on Tuesday.
He said the front that was expected to move over southern and central New Zealand on Tuesday would be followed by a strong cold southerly wind change.
"This could bring snow down to around 600m over parts of the South Island on Tuesday, which has the potential to affect higher roads and high country farms."
Temperatures were expected to drop as low as 0degC inland on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the snow was not expected to affect Dunedin or other major towns in Otago or Southland.
