Locals can expect cooler days from Friday ahead of a "wintry blast" overnight Sunday, with temperatures dropping to single digits.

MetService forecaster Cameron Coutts said Rotorua was in for cooler day temperatures from Friday, but the real "frosty" weather was expected to hit overnight Sunday.

"Today and tomorrow the day temperature will sit around 15C, then drop to about 13C on Friday which isn't cold cold.

"It will be quite windy on Saturday then on Sunday there will be a high across the region bringing some very frosty temperatures.

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"People in Rotorua can expect 1C or 2C overnight, even lower - we are now well into the period where we start seeing frosts."

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Looking ahead, Mr Coutts said next week would be colder than average before temperatures "pop up into above average for the next two or three weeks".

He said locals could also expect the weather to be a little wetter than usual over the next month, but nothing extreme.

"The good news to come out of this is the cooler temperatures could also bring snow which will be good for the mountains and getting those ski fields open."

Snow showers are also forecast for the Desert Rd overnight Friday as a new weather system from the Southern Ocean approaches, according to WeatherWatch.co.nz.

Rotorua forecast:
Today: Periods of rain, chance heavy, clearing evening. Strong northerlies. High 16C, low 13C
Tomorrow: Occasional showers. Strong westerlies. High 16C, low 9C
Friday: Cloudy periods, chance shower. Strong westerlies. High 13C, low 8C
Saturday: A few showers, clearing overnight. Southwesterlies. High 13C, low 1C
Sunday: Fine. Southwesterlies dying out. High 12C, low 1C