A nasty spring storm is moving in to New Zealand today and will erase summer like temperatures with winter ones by tonight for some areas.

The low, which will rapidly deepen over the next 24 hours, will drive warm north west gales across central New Zealand today but as the low crosses the South Island tonight it will deliver a sharp, cold, wintry change.

“Temperatures in eastern areas from Dunedin to Gisborne will reach well into the 20s today as those winds crank up” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.  “Wind gusts, particularly around central New Zealand, could be over 140km/h which is strong enough to lift roofs, bring down powerlines and blow vehicles off roads”.

The Weather Watch Centre has issued its second Travel Warning in days advising motorists crossing the Rimutaka Ranges later today and overnight tonight to drive with caution as gusts may top 160km/h.

Mr Duncan says a cold blast will arrive in the deep south this afternoon.  “This system has all the hallmarks of winter with wind chills around zero, hail to sea level and snow to relatively low levels on the hills in Southland and Otago”.

Government forecaster MetService has issued a number of weather warnings covering rain and wind.

By Wednesday Mr Duncan says cold weather will cover all of New Zealand as a strong cold southerly or sou’westerly moves in.  “One positive thing about spring storms is that they’re fast moving – conditions should improve as we go into Wednesday evening for Guy Fawkes celebrations however it will certainly be colder and windier than it’s been in a while”.

What are conditions like where you are?  Post a comment below on the current weather conditions where you live.