KEY POINTS:
A series of wintry blasts is set to hit the South Island on Wednesday and then drift up the rest of the country, sharing its misery.
The MetService has issued severe weather warnings for wind and rain for the south of the South Island for tomorrow.
Spokesman Bob McDavitt said after the first of the fronts, a bitterly cold southwesterly would hit Southland on Thursday and spread over the country on Friday.
The weather would be driven by a low pressure system over the Southern Ocean.
As the low deepens west-northwest winds over exposed hills of Southland are likely to rise to gale force tonight and peak around dawn tomorrow.
"Heavy rain along the divide is likely to spread north as far as Otira (near Arthur's Pass) during Wednesday."
Mr McDavitt said the southwesterly later in the week would bring wintry conditions, particularly over southern New Zealand.
"It'll contain snow showers but the snow may not settle for long.
"High country stock and anyone working in the open may experience extreme stress caused by the combination of cold wet winds, especially as it's coming after a mild period of weather."
The southwesterly should cross the North Island on Friday and weaken on Saturday.
For more weather news go to MetService.
- NZPA
