A heavy rain watch is also in place for the headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers until 1am tomorrow.
“Snow is going to quite low levels. We’re talking maybe 100-200 in the far south,” he said.
Road snowfall warnings are also in force for various South Island roads until early tomorrow morning.
🟠🟡Severe Weather Update!!
There has been an update to the Watches and Warnings over the country.
🌬The Strong Wind Watch area now includes Wairarapa and the Tararua District, valid from tomorrow morning.
💨For the Strong Wind Watch area, westerly to northwesterly winds are… pic.twitter.com/WYGv7Dm5SW
— MetService (@MetService) September 29, 2025
Temperatures across the lower South Island are forecast to linger in the single digits, with highs of 9C and lows of 1C in the Queenstown and Southland regions.
It would slowly warm further up the island with Christchurch and Ashburton reaching 11C and Nelson and Blenheim reaching mid-teens.
However, once the fast-moving front moves north, there would be “warm sun but cold wind” across much of the South Island, White said.
“If you’re in the shade, you might need the extra layer, but, if you’re in the sun, you might not feel too bad.”
In the North Island, the front would only reach Taupo before fading away, White said.
“Conditions in places like Auckland and Northland won’t be too bad. They might see the odd shower and a bit windy.”
However, the front would bring rain to much of the lower North Island as it moves up the country in the afternoon.
“Places like Wellington, there will be a strong cold change. It looks like the temperature would drop in behind the front.
“Given it will be the middle of the day, it will be quite noticeable.”
White described the cold snap as “typical” for early spring.
“It’s a bit windy, the front would come through with a bit of a bang, it will pass quite quickly and, before you know it, things will start to clear up again.”
David Williams is an Auckland-based multimedia journalist who joined the Herald in 2023. He covers breaking news and general topics.
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