A cold front is moving up the country over the next 24 hours bringing heavy rain to the west and heavy mountain snow over the South Island.

Before and after the cold front there will also be showers, some with small hail after the front has passed.

The bulk of the wet weather over the South Island is today, then the North Island tonight and Friday, with showers in places across Saturday becoming more coastal as the weekend goes on.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz