Cooler temperatures are forecast nationwide and it'll be pretty nippy in parts of the South as the Easter holiday begins.
Unsettled weather from the southwest will affect the country. Blustery conditions are on the cards for many in the North Island, with a slow-moving area of low pressure forming off East Cape likely to bring a wet weekend to Tairāwhiti and Hawke's Bay, particularly on Saturday, MetService says.
And while the South Island would see plenty of fine, dry weather, it would not escape the cool change.
Good Friday would be particularly nippy, with snow expected to affect the summit of the Crown Range Road, linking Wanaka to Queenstown, and cool temperatures in the lower South Island.
A few snow showers were expected to affect the summit of the road from 1pm until 10pm on Thursday, and up to 1cm of snow may accumulate near the summit.
Highs of just 13degC for Christchurch and Invercargill, 14C for Dunedin and Queenstown are forecast, while Oamaru and Wānaka could expect a high of 15C on Good Friday.
Met Service said most of the South Island was in for a relatively settled bout of weather across the long holiday weekend and this should make for prime conditions for those attending the Warbirds over Wanaka event, with Saturday and Sunday looking like the better days.
Meanwhile, the first snow of the year has fallen at Cardrona ski field, near Wānaka, and more was expected as the cooler temperatures settle in.
Cardrona and Treble Cone Experiences general manager Laura Hedley told RNZ's Morning Report programme today the snow had arrived a little earlier than usual and it was "pretty cold up the hill".
"We got a couple of centimetres yesterday; I think we're going to get a little bit more today."
Once wind-chill was taken into account, temperatures at the ski field had dropped to just below freezing on Wednesday, Hedley said.
"It's a nice dusting and a bit chilly down in Wānaka."
There was still a lot of work to do before the ski season started, but Hedley hoped the early snow was a sign of a cold and snowy winter to come.
"I know people will be looking up there eager for the winter ahead."
The Cardrona ski field is closed as construction is taking place.
- Additional reporting ODT Online
