A blustery Sunday is in store for many New Zealanders but expect a return to more normal temperatures for this time of year, MetService says.
With mountain ranges sprinkled with the year's first snow dumps, intrepid surfers will be seeking big, rolling swells created by the southwesterly winds which caused havoc across the country on Friday, toppling an oak tree which fatally crushed an elderly Cambridge woman.
MetService has issued road snowfall warnings for the Milford Rd and the Crown Range Rd in the South Island.
Snow showers in the area are likely this afternoon and into the early evening. Up to 1cm of snow may settle on the Crown Range Rd on road above 800m while little, if any, snow is expected to settle on Milford Rd.
Strong southwest winds are bringing showers to southern and western areas of the country.
MetService said showers are expected to move into eastern regions of the South Island as they shift from western areas.
There is also a strong wind watch for Tararua District, Hawke's Bay south of Hastings, Clutha, Dunedin, North Otago, coastal Southland and Stewart Island.
Southwest winds may cause severe gales in exposed locations at times in those areas.
Christchurch locals woke to frosty temperatures this morning: MetService's airport station recorded -0.8C.
In the North Island, Masterton locals were feeling the cold too at 2C.
Niwa's emojicast for Sunday shows weather patterns are getting back to normal for most of the country after the cold snap.
A high wind warning is in place for Otago's Clutha district.
Other squally zones could include the top of the South Island, and east of the North Island from Coromandel down to Hawke's Bay.
But the winds would ease as Kiwis start heading back to work for the week, Bellam said.
Canterbury will have a cold start but will enjoy another bright late-spring burst before a "classic" southerly change, bringing "some quite beefy showers" spreading up the eastern seaboard in the afternoon, and even possibly some hail and thunderstorms.
With southern ski fields enjoying their first dustings, there are road snow warnings today for the Crown Range and Milford roads.
Meanwhile, the clean-up continues in Levin after a tornado on Friday morning caused widespread damage, downing trees and powerlines, blocking roads, and lifting roofs off homes.
Today's high and lows
Auckland – low 14C, high 18C.
Hamilton – low 9C, high 17C.
Tauranga – low 11C, high 18C.
Wellington – low 10C, high 17C.
Christchurch – low 0C, high 15C .
Dunedin – low 7C, high 12C.