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Things look set to get wet and wild in the South from Sunday and into next week.
A MetService spokesman said a front over the Tasman Sea was expected to move north over the South Island on Sunday and Monday, bringing heavy rain and gales.
West-to-northwest winds would turn southwest, and as a result, it was possible warning amounts of rain would fall tomorrow about the west of the South Island, western Southland and Stewart Island.
It was possible the warning amounts of rain could continue into Monday and Tuesday for Fiordland.
As well as rain, winds were expected to strengthen for a time on Sunday, he said, and it was possible a wind warning for severe gale northwesterlies would be needed for the east of the South Island.
For coastal areas of Southland and Clutha, there was also a possibility wind warnings would be issued on Monday.
On Wednesday, a large trough over the Tasman Sea would start to move on to New Zealand and it was likely to bring warning amounts of rain to Fiordland.
More snow
MetService has now lifted snow warnings for Southland's Milford Road and the Lewis Pass. Earlier warnings for the Crown Range Road, linking Queenstown and Wānaka, and Arthurs Pass (SH73) have also been cancelled.
It was also possible the cold southerlies associated with the front would bring snow to much of the southern regions, including Dunedin, on Wednesday.
"Wednesday through Thursday, there is a possibility of snow, but there’s still quite a lot of differences between the weather models in terms of whereabouts and how low it will fall, the spokesman said.
"We’re getting southerlies coming through, so it will definitely be quite cold, at least."
MetService urged people to keep up to date with the forecast nearer the time.
Milford Road (State Highway 94)
The threat of snow affecting the road has passed and the warning is now lifted.
Lewis Pass (SH7)
The threat of snow affecting the road has passed and the warning is now lifted.
- Additional reporting by ODT Online