A big dumping of snow at the summit of Mt Ruapehu over the past week is one of many signs winter is not far away.
Met Service meteorologist Nick Zachar said Mt Ruapehu would get another coating, starting Saturday morning, as an active weather system spreads across the Upper North Island.
"Freezing levels and temperatures are expected to plummet on Sunday for Mt Ruapehu and the central North Island as a blast of cold air from the Southern Ocean spreads northwards across the country," he said.
Mr Zachar said the South Island would be "even colder" and was likely to get snow to low levels into Monday.
Today's forecast
Whangarei: Partly cloudy. Rain from evening. Northwesterlies. High 18C, Low 10C
Auckland: Sunny areas, increasing cloud, late showers then overnight rain. Northwesterlies. H 18C, L 11C
Hamilton: Mostly cloudy, afternoon showers clearing around midnight. Northwesterlies. H 17C, L 5C
Tauranga: Cloudy morning, evening showers clearing overnight. Northwesterlies changing to southwesterlies. H 18C, L 8C
Wellington: Cloudy with showers around noon, clearing late afternoon. Brisk northwesterlies. H 17C, L 13C
(Source: WeatherWatch.co.nz)
