An icy polar blast will settle over the country this Queen's Birthday weekend, sending temperatures plummeting and bringing snow to extremely low levels.
MetService has issued severe weather warnings for 18 places.
It warned of a strong, very cold southerly expected to reach southern parts of the country this afternoon, spread over Canterbury tonight, and quickly spread north tomorrow morning.
It is predicting snow down to 200m as far north as the Gisborne ranges and heavy dumps on Central North Island roads.
Auckland will be cold, with maximum temperatures in the low to mid-teens and Monday night's temperature dropping to 7C.
Rain would develop in Auckland from late this morning, but the weather would improve on Monday, said MetService severe weather forecaster Oliver Druce.
Mr Druce said today's warning had been issued not because of the amount of snow expected but because of the very low levels involved.
The snow is likely to close many roads and wind chill is expected to be severe.
He advised drivers to check road conditions before travelling and farmers to provide shelter for vulnerable stock.
The cold southerly will really start to bite tomorrow, bringing snow down to 400m to 500m in unusual places, such as the higher hills in Coromandel, Waikato and Northland.
Places exposed to the southerly could have gale-force winds.
Mr Druce said snow falls tomorrow were likely to be heavy enough to close Central North Island roads.
Weatherwatch analyst Philip Duncan said there could be "travel mayhem" tomorrow with the Desert Rd section of State Highway 1 closed, big seas in Cook Strait and some South Island airports closed.
Snow could be down to 700m as far north as the Coromandel Peninsula.
"We may well see a dusting of snow on the Hunua Range just south of Auckland."
June will be a cold month for the country, says the climate centre of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research. But it expects average winter temperatures for the next three months in Northland, Auckland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty, with normal or above normal rainfall.
Gisborne and the central North Island can also expect average temperatures.
The centre predicts more frosts than usual for the central North Island and the South Island.
- With NZPA
Never mind the rain, here's the snow
Snow is expected to close the Desert Rd at times during Queen's Birthday weekend as a polar blast strikes the country and temperatures tumble. Photo / Sarah Ivey
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