File pic Photo: RNZ / Rebekah Parsons-King
Forecasters say Mother Nature is "shifting into a new gear", with the temperatures set to plunge and weather warnings possible.
Heavy rain, wind and snow are on their way for parts of the country as an autumn storm moves in.
The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) said on social media that Mother Nature would be "shifting into a new gear" this weekend now that summer was over.
A band of heavy rain would move over the country on Saturday and Sunday, while wind, colder temperatures and snow to high elevations could be expected at the start of next week.
Meteorological autumn starts tomorrow & Mother Nature will be shifting into a new gear ️
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) February 29, 2024
A band of heavy rain will affect parts of the North Island on Sunday
A strong low will bring heavy rain, wind, colder temperatures & snow to high elevations on Monday-Tuesday pic.twitter.com/1IxS3DHUAY
MetService's severe weather outlook said the South Island would be affected by rain and wind on Saturday, with the heaviest rain expected in the northwest.
The front would then move onto the North Island on Sunday, bringing rain and possibly severe northwest gales.
It was possible that rain warnings might be issued for the area from southern Waikato to Kāpiti.
On Monday, an "intense" front, accompanied by heavy rain and northwesterly gales, would move northeast over the country, MetService said.
️Unsettled start to autumn: meteorological autumn arrives on Friday & shortly thereafter, so will a storm...
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) February 27, 2024
There's the potential for a deep low () near the South Island on Monday, possibly bringing heavy rainfall, strong winds, colder temperatures, big waves & some snow! pic.twitter.com/GvS0uuCLiW
"In addition, there is moderate confidence that northwest gales will become severe in Fiordland and for the east of the South Island including the Southern Alps from Marlborough to Southland.
"There is also a moderate confidence that northwest gales will become severe for Wellington, Hawke's Bay south of Hastings and Wairarapa including the Tararua District."
Moderate confidence meant there was a 40 percent likelihood of a weather warning being issued.
Temperatures were also expected to plunge next week as the front moved through, with some places barely into the double digits.
As the curtain closes on summer, here's a look at what temperatures are looking like for the first day of meteorological autumn tomorrow
— MetService (@MetService) February 29, 2024
Alexandra is one of the warmer spots at 28°C, with Tauranga and Blenheim not far behind at 27°C️ pic.twitter.com/NSLpdh4vkf
However, the forecast for Friday - the first day of the meteorological autumn - was looking settled ahead of the storm.
Much of the country would experience either a fine or partly cloudy day.
Alexandra would be among the warmest places in Aotearoa, with a high of 28 degrees Celsius, while Tauranga and Blenheim would have a high of 27.
