Mixed weather for last weekend of the school holidays

Rain, snow and a risk of thunderstorms mixed with bursts of sunshine are forecast for the country this weekend.

A number of fronts are set to make their way up the country today and tomorrow, bringing rain to most and a risk of thunderstorms and hail for Dunedin and North Otago this afternoon.

MetService has issued road snowfall warnings for Crown Range Rd and Milford Rd (State Highway 94) this evening.

MetService meteorologist Brian Mercer said while snow was not expected to settle on Crown Range Rd, up to 5cm could accumulate on Milford Rd near the tunnel between 3pm and 9pm.

The good news is, that wet weather was expected to be interspersed by fine spells.

Light rain in the top of the North Island will start to breakup this afternoon.

However fine conditions are set to be short lived for Auckland, with more showers on the way tomorrow morning - expected to clear by Sunday afternoon.

"By Sunday evening, most of the North Island should be quite clear," said Mercer.

Another front moving up the country will bring cool south westerlies and more rain for most parts of the South Island and lower North Island by this evening.

The South Island will get a brief respite from the rain tomorrow morning before yet another front delivers more wet weather for Westland on Sunday.