A wintry blast is moving into the country and while it’s not a storm it is going to produce areas of severe weather, thanks to a developing low forming over the North Island and a large incoming high-pressure system heading our way for the weekend.

Across Tuesday, the cold snap moves northwards up the South Island, bringing snow to low levels and maybe sea level in places like Dunedin for a time.

By Wednesday, it’s moving into the North Island and snow is expected on the Desert Road and the Rimutaka Ranges. This continues on Thursday but the squash zone between this North Island low and the incoming high will make for severe gales through Cook Strait, heavy rain in the east and snow in the mountains/higher up.

By Friday, it starts to unwind and high pressure spreads into the lower half of the South Island.

Saturday may well be settled, frosty and sunny across much of New Zealand thanks, finally, to a high-pressure system.