Week-long storm on the way

Hold on to your hat, there's a storm coming. Photo / file

New Zealanders should wrap up warm with a big Southern Ocean storm predicted to hit arrive on Tuesday and stick around for several days.

WeatherWatch.co.nz. said today the storm was expected to take almost an entire week to completely pass through bringing gales, rain and snow to many parts of the country.

"This looks like something more usual in spring or autumn" said head weather analyst Philip Duncan.

"The belt of strong westerly winds will start late on Tuesday and last, probably, until next Sunday or next Monday."

Mr Duncan said conditions won't be severe for most of the main centres but western, central and southern areas would have a series of fronts and strong winds with snow up on the mountains.

Winds were expected to be strongest around mid to late this week and may be blustery -- and possibly gale force -- as far north as Auckland.

Meanwhile a sub-tropical low continues to deepen north of the country and will bring a wet, windy, day to eastern parts of the North Island on Tuesday.

WeatherWatch said gales were most likely east of the Southern Alps but hopefully not as far east as Christchurch. Gales were also expected in exposed parts of Marlborough, Wellington, Wairarapa, and the Hawke's Bay ranges.

The entire West Coast and possibly Mt Taranaki and maybe Gisborne and Hawkes Bay could expect heavy rain as the sub-tropical low moved in.

Snow was most likely in South Island mountains but some snow was expected in the North Island too.

- NZPA