A cold air flow from the Antartic has sparked the first heavy snowfall warning of 2018 to be issued for Canterbury Plains, Canterbury High Country and the Kaikoura Ranges.
The snow is expected to arrive late Monday and continue through to Tuesday. MetService says the forecast is for snow above 400 metres.
Otago, Southland and Fiordland are on snowfall watch above 300 metres on Tuesday.
"While those in Christchurch City for example may not see any snow, there will likely be snow on Banks Peninsula and about many inland roads, including the alpine passes," MetService said in a statement.
Many of the high country roads in the South Island have been issued with road snow warnings.
Lewis Pass and Porters Pass are looking to be worst affected, with 40 - 50cm of snow expected on Tuesday.
There's also a heavy rain watch issued over Canterbury, Buller, Nelson and Malborough Sounds to hit overnight Monday into Tuesday.
For the latest weather forecast in your area click here.
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