A biting wintry blast is set to sweep over the lower South Island, bringing snow close to sea level.
The latest bout of wild weather follows heavy rain that caused flooding and travel disruption at the opposite end of the motu.
“Snow is on the horizon,” MetService said this afternoon, as a strong southwesterly flow drags colder air to southern regions.
Snow levels are forecast to lower to 500m across Southland, Clutha and Dunedin this evening, before dropping further to near sea level tomorrow night.
A strong wind watch remains in force for southern Southland and Clutha until noon tomorrow, with westerlies potentially approaching severe gale in exposed places.
MetService earlier said there was a moderate chance the watch would be upgraded to a warning.
A strong wind watch also comes into force for the Tasman District from 4pm today until 1pm tomorrow.
Further north, Hawke’s Bay south of Hastings and the Tararua District are under a strong wind warning from 7pm tonight until 5pm tomorrow, with westerly gusts potentially reaching 120km an hour (km/h) in exposed places.
MetService warned the winds could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures, while driving could be difficult for high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists.
Heavy rain that drenched the upper North Island from Northland to Auckland and Bay of Plenty has subsided.
Yesterday, flooding in Northland closed several roads while police asked the public to avoid unnecessary travel as river levels rose.
The heaviest rain fell in Whananaki overnight, with the area getting 93mm between 1-11pm, following warnings from MetService to watch for localised heavy rain that could cause flash flooding in Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, Auckland and Bay of Plenty.
Kerikeri received 54mm in the same time period, while 28.2mm fell over Auckland from 1pm-12am, MetService meteorologist Maddy Neal told the Herald.
During the worst of the weather, rainfall rates reached as high as 25mm an hour (mm/h) on Coromandel Peninsula.
Elsewhere, 25mm/h fell on parts of Auckland, there was 15mm/h in Bay of Plenty and 20mm/h in Northland.
It is now forecast to be cloudy with some isolated showers today and tonight for the rain-affected areas.
On Saturday, heavy rain caused flooding and travel disruption across Northland before the weather moved southeast towards Auckland, Coromandel and the Bay of Plenty.
Several Northland roads were closed or restricted, including Whangārei Heads Rd, where a blocked culvert was suspected of contributing to flooding.
Flooding was also reported at Helena Bay, Kawakawa and Kāeo, and across paddocks north of Auckland.
Police urged people to avoid unnecessary travel in Kāeo and Kawakawa as rivers rose, while some road restrictions were expected to remain in place today. MetService recorded rainfall rates of up to 25mm/h in parts of Northland and about 20mm/h in parts of Coromandel.
In Auckland, rising water in the Mahurangi River near Warkworth triggered the region’s flood alert system, with people warned to avoid flood-prone sections of Falls Rd.