Most of the South Island is staring down the barrel of wild weather to start the week.
"Here come the fronts!" MetService wrote on Twitter this morning.
The rough weather is forecast to kick off this afternoon before continuing into tomorrow and Wednesday.
An orange strong wind warning is in place for Wellington, Wairarapa about and south of Featherston, and Marlborough about and north of Ward including the Sounds from 6pm tomorrow night into 5am Wednesday morning.
"Expect severe gale northwesterlies in exposed places, with gusts reaching 120 km/h," MetService warns.
"Strong wind gusts could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures.
"Driving may be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles."
Heavy rain watches are in place for the ranges of Westland south of Otira from 5pm this afternoon to 6pm tomorrow; the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers, about and south of Arthur's Pass from noon to 6pm tomorrow; the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers from 11am to 5pm tomorrow; and Fiordland from 1pm this afternoon to 2am tomorrow.
Possible thunderstorms are forecast in all the affected areas.
Heavy snow watches are in place for Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago and inland parts of Dunedin from midnight tomorrow to 10am Wednesday, and for Southland, Clutha, and Fiordland from 10pm tomorrow to 10am Wednesday.
Both heavy snow watches could be extended, MetService advises.
"An active weather week is on tap," NIWA Weather tweeted, later explaining parts of the South Island were set for two "waves" of snow.
One will fall today and early tonight while "a second, more impressive period of snow, arrives Tuesday afternoon".
About 11am today, MetService added three road snowfall warnings, for Lindis Pass (SH8) from 1pm to 6pm tomorrow; Crown Range Road from noon to 5pm tomorrow; and Milford Road (SH94) from 1am tomorrow to 6am Wednesday.
And strong wind watches are in place for Canterbury Plains excluding Banks Peninsula from 2am tomorrow to 4am Wednesday; Banks Peninsula from 2am tomorrow to midnight Wednesday; Fiordland, Queenstown Lakes, Central Otago, and Southland including Stewart Island from 9am today to 9am Wednesday; North Otago, Dunedin, and Clutha from 2am tomorrow to noon Wednesday; and Canterbury High Country and inland Marlborough south of Ward from 3pm today to 3am tomorrow.
"People are advised to keep up to date with the latest forecasts in case any changes are made," MetService said.
SHARE ME