Cold snap on the way

Another cold snap is on the way for New Zealand with snow to low levels and extremely low temperatures. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery

Another cold snap is on the way for New Zealand with snow to low levels and extremely low temperatures, says WeatherWatch.co.nz.

A southerly is expected to arrive on Sunday in the deep south reaching Auckland by Tuesday. Daytime highs are expected to plummet following a mild few days thanks to a northerly.

WeatherWatch.co.nz analyst Philip Duncan says single digit highs will spread across the lower two thirds of New Zealand early next week. "It's another short, sharp, shock with snow to low levels around Otago and Canterbury and across the Desert Road".

Mr Duncan says while snow may fall to near sea level in some South Island areas the snow isn't likely to be heavy. "This looks very similar to the previous two cold snaps which saw snow flakes to low levels but nothing substantial".

Daytime highs are expected to take a real hit. WeatherWatch.co.nz predicts Queenstown will have snow flurries and a high of just 3 on Monday, with other centres such as Invercargill, Dunedin, Timaru, Christchurch and Wellington reaching only 6 or 7 on Monday or Tuesday.

Auckland's high is just 11 or 12 on Monday as that southerly arrives.

Snow may also affect State Highway 2 on the Rimutaka Ranges on Monday night or during Tuesday.

- NZ HERALD ONLINE