Your weather: Snow, rain and possible thunder coming

It's not going to be much chop out there this Sunday. Rain is expected across much of the country. Photo / Sylvie Whinray

Kiwis may find a small consolation in the wet, cold weather due to hit most of the country in the coming days.

The sight of the grey rain outside may just make it easier to stomach being cooped up indoors during lockdown.

For Auckland residents, showers and a top of 17C today are expected to give way to heavy, possibly thundery rain in the afternoon. Tomorrow is expected to be worse with another top of 17C and possible thunderstorms in the afternoon.

MetService has issued a road snowfall warning in the South Island, where rain is expected to turn to snow above 800 metres tonight at Lewis Pass with up to 3cm of snow possibly settling on the road overnight.

A few snow flurries are possible at Arthurs Pass too, with rain turning into snow overnight and some settling on the road between 8pm and 1am tomorrow.

NZ & Australia weather highlights next few days as lows move in (+14 maps, +2 animations) https://t.co/NVszIk4uPw via @weatherwatchnz

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) August 27, 2021

Gisborne residents may also be waking to a miserable morning after forecaster MetService issued a heavy rain warning for the town and eastern Bay of Plenty ranges until 5am today.

MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said the wet weather is being caused by a large low pressure system moving up the country.

It will bring rain and hang over the top part of the North Island over the coming days.

It'll help cause unsettled conditions across New Zealand until late tomorrow or Tuesday when a ridge of high pressure will start to move in.

Cold southerly winds may also blast through early next week but there's "nothing too unusual about that", Glassey said.

"It's still winter."

Residents in the capital Wellington can also expect showers today and tomorrow and a top of 13C and 11C.

Is the weather better in lockdown? #Auckland version.

Compared to the rest of winter there have been more sunny days, but also more wet days (though most of those are in the next few days). Image shows past weather then forecasts from https://t.co/tks2Q4pbWD ^TA pic.twitter.com/EDtRjCsvLw

— MetService (@MetService) August 27, 2021

Whangarei residents may get thundery falls this evening as they can expect a top of 18C, while Tauranga is also heading for a top of 18C after early rain today.

Christchurch is looking at a top of 12C with odd showers today, while further south Dunedin will be drizzly with a high of just 10C.