A cold front will sweep up and over New Zealand across Thursday and Friday, clearing the country on Saturday with a cooler airflow.

Heavy rain on the West Coast, lower totals for the North Island – and a southern dusting of snow on the ranges and mountains.

But high pressure isn’t finished with us – it tries to move in this weekend and then sets in better early next week, bringing drier weather and calmer winds for a time.

We have your NZ forecast covering the cold front that is incoming, your weekend weather, and the outlook to Tuesday next week.