It’s been much warmer than average by day lately – that all changes this week as winter wakes up and smacks the reset button.

Heavy snow will fall in the Southern Alps and Central North Island mountains – snow is possible on the Desert Road and also alpine passes in the South Island. Snow may also fall in Queenstown and to other lower lying centres – but not likely to settle below 300m.

The cold change will see heavy rain on the West Coast too, with wet weather lining up the western North Island this week too.