---

On Tuesday a true wintry change spreads over New Zealand with subantarctic air spreading into most regions – and the coldest portion spreading over Southland, Otago, Canterbury and brushing Wellington and Wairarapa.

🛰️12 hour water vapour satellite imagery shows the colder air blast out over the Tasman Sea and also up New Zealand. Low pressure east of the South Island and high pressure near Tasmania are working together to dredge up the windy cold change from the subantarctic region. pic.twitter.com/eQGeO472SX

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) July 2, 2024

❄️⛷️☃️🏂Here's the #snow forecast for the North Island.

Ohakune has snow chances, as does the summit of the Dessert Road (mostly Tuesday). All ski fields in NZ will get natural snow over the next few days. #NorthIsland #NewZealand pic.twitter.com/R1rZNYETom

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) June 30, 2024

❄️⛷️☃️🏂#Snow is in the forecast! Here's where it will fall.

Most main centres will be snow-free, but Queenstown itself has some snow chances on Tuesday, and the hilltops near Dunedin.#SouthIsland #NewZealand pic.twitter.com/0LI0Jk1K9O

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) June 30, 2024

Snow levels will lower in the North Island’s Central Plateau with snow flurries likely in Ohakune and the Desert Road – not to mention the mountains and ranges. The summit of the Napier-Taupo highway may also get a dusting of snow overnight. This isn’t a major snow storm, but snow is going to dust a number of mountains and ranges of NZ – and yes, all the ski fields too.

Sea level showers might contain hail over both main islands on Tuesday.

Snow is possible on the hilltops around Dunedin and close to main centres of Southland and Otago. Out of all the main centres Queenstown is most likely to get some snow, with that main chance on Tuesday. Although skies will be drying out and clearing as the air gets colder though. Overnight temperatures will be below zero in Queenstown.

If you need a drier and sunnier forecast, head over to the West Coast from Tuesday thanks to an easterly flow over the Southern Alps.

🥶🐧To make a true Antarctic blast over NZ we need two things:

1️⃣A large high over Tasmania shaped like a rugby ball pointing up.
2️⃣A deep low east of Dunedin.

🏉This high is on a lean – so it disrupts the southerly into NZ. But still, this is a cold and wintry week this week! pic.twitter.com/NwH4zL4jpS

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) June 30, 2024

---

Wintry Wednesday brings a cold day for most of New Zealand. Winds are lighter with drier skies for most, but not all, places. Showers are most likely in the east as the subantarctic airflow from off the Southern Ocean continues.

Despite the colder air sunny spells are increasing for many places away from the direct southerly flow off the ocean.

Frosty weather will be through higher elevation locations and black ice is possible on roads and highways.

Thursday is similar to Wednesday for many places with a cold start to the day and inland frosts. Longer dry spells in the east and also the lower North Island.

High pressure is growing over the South Island bringing cold nights but drier skies for most. The western North Island is also looking mostly dry.

Moderate to Heavy frosts will be possible around Central Otago and other inland sheltered parts of the South Island on Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

---

On Friday a weak cold front in the Southern Ocean brushes Southland with cloud and perhaps a few showers. It’s dry over most of the South Island with showers in the eastern North Island.

It’s worth noting the low pressure zone in this map is not showing up in all data – and our own WeatherWatch forecasts didn’t support the placement of this low at the time of publishing this story on Sunday afternoon. It’s likely the high pressure zone further south will push northwards and stop this low from developing. Our weather video on Monday will update you with the latest best thinking on any possible new low to our north or north east.

---

Further Maps…

• WeatherWatchTV
• WeatherWatch.co.nz Mobile Alerting App