A strong wind watch is in place for the Western Bay of Plenty today while snow is falling on the Central Plateau.

NZ Transport Agency said in an update at 8.35am that snow was currently falling on State Highway 1 Desert Rd and State Highway 5 Napier to Taupō Rd.

MetService is expecting heavy snowfall for the Central Plateau this afternoon and evening with 5 to 10cm of snow due to settle with 1 to 2cm expected for the State Highway 5 Napier-Taupō Rd, between 2pm and 9pm.

Snow and ice may impact the following State Highways.

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SH1 Desert Rd, SH46 and SH47 Rangipo to National Park, SH4 National Park to Tohunga Junction, Ohakune, SH49 Tohunga Junction (Ohakune) to Waiouru and State Highway 5 Napier to Taupō as well as the Napier-Taihape Rd

Meanwhile, MetService said a low was expected to move eastwards across the North Island today bringing strong west to southwest winds to upper parts of the North Island including west of Pāpāmoa.

The watch is in place from 9am to 6pm.

Rotorua, Taupō, Whakatāne and Tauranga can expect showers becoming less frequent this evening before returning tomorrow with some possibly thundery. The weather looks to clear by Thursday all the way into the weekend for the region.