Photo: Bruce Munro

A stunning rainbow spans the sky after a heavy downpour at St Clair beach, Dunedin, late this afternoon. 

The short, sharp downpour was accompanied by hail in the hill suburbs.

A double rainbow over the harbour as seen from Ravensbourne. Photo: Alison Crossan

It arrived amid warnings of severe wind and heavy rain for most of the South Island, with snow also forecast for some alpine roads.

Photo: Gary Broderick

MetService says severe weather warnings and watches are in place on Sunday, as a series of fast-moving fronts will bring bursts of heavy rain to western parts of the South Island, with "significant spillover" into the Otago and Canterbury headwaters.