Temperatures around the country are expected to fall to the low twenties and high teens today after highs of up to 29C yesterday.

People across New Zealand have been basking in today's sunshine as the first weekend of summer did not disappoint.

A wetter summer season is on the cards for the upper North Island - but that doesn't mean people should go cancelling their Coromandel holiday plans.

A front made its icy way up the country, bringing with it snow, sleet and freezing cold temperatures with winds of up to 120km/h.

The sodden north is cleaning up after yesterday's rain, but more is expected today.

While some areas can expect showers, many places will be bathed in sunshine as we welcome daylight savings.

More than 400 people were evacuated from flood-hit homes in lower North Island towns across Taranaki, Horowhenua, Manawatu, Rangitikei and Whanganui over the weekend.

New Zealanders have been smashed by cold and wet weather with parts of the country blanketed in snow.

Ski fields around the country are experiencing their first rounds of snowfall for the year and some could be in for a snowier season than last year.

Sunnier skies are expected for many next week, but Wellington has been warned of more heavy rain in the next day - another test for Wellington’s infrastructure.

The lobby group had lodged an appeal over whether the Northland Regional Council had jurisdiction under the Resource Management Act to ban the outdoor use of GMO matter.

The Metservice says it will have to change its rain gauge at Haast because it is “not responding well to periods of heavy rain”.

After years of threatening to inject its unwelcome wet and dry extremes into our climate, the chances of El Niño shaking up weather are now greater than ever, scientists say.

Winter is coming slowly in Auckland as May got off to an unusually warm start thanks to mild northerlies sweeping across the top of the north island.

Heavy rain and strong gales are expected to blast parts of central and southern New Zealand today.

Torrential rain will pound parts of the country this week as the remnants of the deadly storm that hit Queensland recently makes its way across the Tasman.

Gale-force north-easterly gusts of wind downed trees and signs, punched out office windows and tore vessels from their harbour moorings in Auckland today.

A high pressure system sitting over New Zealand is keeping the large storm battering New South Wales at bay - but is only days away from hitting New Zealand.

Warmer temperatures today will lead to more cold, wet weather for both islands this weekend.

The cold snap that left much of the country shivering is now on its way out, but don't celebrate too soon: a wet weekend is on the cards.

A Bay of Plenty skipper who had not been heard from since Cyclone Pam hit has phoned home to his family, safe and well in Vanuatu.

Tens of thousands took advantage of the sun during another event-filled Auckland weekend.

The eastern seaboard is still being battered by a polar vortex and the sinisterly named Siberian Express blast from the Arctic that have combined to bring record lows.

The Government has no immediate plans to declare drought in areas of the country suffering from extremely dry conditions.

Severe thunderstorms may hit Dunedin, North Otago and Clutha this afternoon bringing heavy rain and hail as large as 20mm to some areas, MetService warns.

Weather warnings for strong wind and rain are in place as a front bringing foul weather makes its way up the country.

Cowper Street residents were today cleaning up the aftermath of a "phenomenal" wind that struck before dawn this morning.

Strong wind gusts of up to 140km/h are barrelling up the country felling trees, power lines and lifting roofs, emergency services say.