Showers are set to linger across the North Island today, especially in the west.
"Sunshine and showers seems to be the order of the week for the North Island, with most of the showers expected in the west," MetService meteorologist John Law said.
A band of steady rain is expected to continue over the upper South Island before easing in the afternoon.
MetService issued a heavy snow watch for inland parts of Nelson and Buller yesterday with warnings of snow to 600 metres. Areas included the Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes National Parks.
The slow-moving front last night was likely to bring snow to the ranges of the top of the South Island, Law said.
Snow fall is softening this morning.
For the South Island the combination of cold air and lingering showers continues to bring the risk of snowfall about the higher passes today but a short-lived ridge of high pressure will allow for some drier weather to follow.
Law said the ridge we see on Wednesday was a "blink and you'll miss it" kind of affair.
"But as winds swing back round to the north we will see our temperatures pick up a few degrees towards the end of the week."
He said the West Coast was the place to be today with plenty of fine weather in store but hop over to the Southern Alps and clouds linger.
Weather by regions:
Fine spells. Chance shower. Westerlies. 14C high, 6C overnight.
Cloudy periods and isolated showers. Westerlies. 14C high, 4C overnight.
Cloudy periods. Occasional showers, mainly from afternoon. Light winds. 13C high, 1C overnight.
Fine. Westerly breezes. 14C high, 3C overnight.
Cloudy periods and chance shower. Light winds. 10C high, -1C overnight.
Fine, some evening cloud. Light winds. 13C, 1C overnight.
Cloudy periods and a few showers. Northwesterlies.
Cloudy with occasional rain, chance heavy. Southerlies. 9C high, 7C overnight.
Periods of rain. Light winds. 10C high, 4C overnight.
Cloudy. Showers gradually becoming less frequent. Southerlies. 9C high, 2C overnight.
Cloudy periods and a few showers. Easterlies. 8C high, 4C overnight.
Fine apart from morning cloud. Northeasterlies. 8C high, -2C overnight