The wintry spell of rain and snow still looks set to advance over the South Island tomorrow and rain is set to cover much of the north as well.

Latest computer models suggest snow could be heavy at times over inland areas of he eastern South Island and occasional falls could make it down to sea level across the coast.

“The data today is suggesting it’s looking a little more substantial than it was 24 hours ago but sometimes the models can change quite quickly when disturbances are fairly turbulent,” says weather analyst Richard Green. “Inland areas of Canterbury look set to be the hardest hit with a possible 30cm of snow down to about two to three hundred metres”.

Although the cold may not be the biggest factor over the North Island tomorrow much of the island is set to get a soaking with a possiblilty of isolated thunderstorms moving in from the west and delivering heavy localised downpours.

Weatherwatch.co.nz believes Gisborne and Hawkes Bay might be the most sheltered during the day but light rain may move in by the end of tomorrow or tomorrow night.

Road conditions in the south are expected to be marginal if not impassable by nightfall and overnight and during Wednesday throughout parts of Canterbury and possibly the Kaikoura Coast.

“Christchurch is now looking to be in the firing line for snow and at the moment there’s about a 70% chance of snow flurries in the city and possibly a 30% chance of it settling” says Richard Green. “Last time was 2006 and before then it was 1997 when snow fell this early during winter”.

Temperatures are still looking extremely cold for those exposed to the southerly and tomorrow over Otago and Southland and Wednesday further north over Canterbury could see the thermometer struggle to top five or six degrees.

Story by Richard Green