Later this week the lower South Island can expect a pretty sudden drop in temperature, as a cold southerly airflow is set to spread over the lower half of the country.

Some places can look ahead to snow flurries, though most of the worst of the weather should pass by Friday this week, and most of the heavy stuff should stay where it belongs – on the ski fields!

Check out our region specific outlook below:

Invercargill

Wednesday will see southerlies pick up from morning, possibly bringing rain – but there shouldn’t be any snow, as the air is too warm at this stage.

The rain eases to showers on Wednesday night, before easing further on Thursday, then clearing by late afternoon.
The snow level looks to be about 800m early on Thursday, before dropping to 300m in the afternoon and then clearing.
Snowfall levels: 4cm down to 800m, 0.5 to 1cm down to 300m.
Lower amounts will more than likely melt – meaning it shouldn’t accumulate at that level.

Dunedin

Southerlies pick up later on Wednesday here too, increasing overnight on Wednesday, before easing early on Thursday and then mostly clearing.
There may be a sporadic shower or two during Thursday, then clearing by evening.
Snowfall levels: 1 to 3cm down to 800m, negligible amounts to 300m which most likely won’t settle.

Queenstown

Expect rain on Wednesday, whch then eases to the odd shower by evening.
Showers then mostly clear early on Thursday.
Snowfall conditions shouldn’t coincide with the cooler air at low levels, but higher up on the ski fields there should be some snow where it belongs – due to the rain on Wednesday.

Christchurch

Cold air doesn’t arrive in Canterbury till Thursday, so cold southwesterly winds will pick up early on Thursday, bringing showers  – which mostly clear in the evening.
Snowfall levels: 1 to 3cm down to 800m by midday, lowering to 400 or 300m in the evening – though only 0.5 to 1cm, before clearing.
Again, those lower amounts may just melt, so it’s possible that nothing would accumulate at that level anyway.
Higher up in the mountains there should be better snow totals on Thursday for the ski fields, nothing dramatic but welcome.

Napier

And we don’t normally include Napier in a lower South Isladn snow forecast!…but after the surprise snow to sea level in Hawkes Bay last week we thought we should show you what the current thinking is for Hawkes Bay.  The air possibly gets cold enough for snow to 500m on Friday morning, but then any showers about clear.  

– Aaron Wilkinson & Drew Chappell, WeatherWatch.co.nz