Snow is on the cards for the lower South Island this weekend with forecasters warning there could be heavy falls in Otago and Southland.
MetService meteorologist Ngaire Wotherspoon said it would be a frosty start to the day for Canterbury and Otago tomorrow.
The fine break would be short lived, as cloud and showers begin to build in the west and northwesterly winds strengthen ahead of a slow-moving front.
The front crawls northeast up the South Island on Saturday, generating rain for much of the island and snow inland.
Heavy snow could fall above 400m in parts of inland Otago and Southland, eastern Fiordland and the south Canterbury high country on Saturday.
“At the moment it looks like the heaviest snow could be anywhere from inland Southland to the Mackenzie country."
Rain is expected for much of the South Island with the possibility that rainfall amounts in Southland, Fiordland and the ranges of the Westland District will reach warning criteria.
Severe northwest gales are possible in the Canterbury high country.
The cold front is expected to weaken on Sunday but there could still be heavy snow in inland Otago, the forecaster says.
