Snow has fallen on the Crown Range Road and the Milford Road as a cold blast brings strong winds to parts of the South, and there is more heavy rain on the way.
MetService has issued a strong wind watch for coastal Otago, coastal Southland and Stewart Island which is expected to last until 3pm today.
The agency this morning also issued a heavy rain watch for the Otago headwaters, for 11 hours from 10am to 9pm tomorrow.
A MetService spokesman earlier said gale-force west-to-southwest winds would spread northwards today and might approach "severe gale" in exposed places.
There was a strong possibility an orange warning would be issued, he said.
"As fronts move up the country and winds turn southwest, we’re in for an influx of cooler air, which is forecast to bring snow to a couple of alpine passes in the far south."
The spokesman said this morning’s weather started "a run of generally unsettled weather" around the country.
Tomorrow, an active front from the Tasman Sea was expected to move on to the South Island, bringing the possibility of warning amounts of rain to Fiordland and the headwaters of Otago lakes and rivers.
On Saturday, Otago and Southland would be mainly fine, as the active front moved up the South Island and on to the North Island.
But on Sunday, a large and complex low-pressure system from over the Tasman Sea was expected to start moving on to the South Island and would affect most of the country.
It was expected to bring rain or showers to many parts of New Zealand, including the possibility of warning amounts of rain in eastern Otago, Clutha and eastern Southland.
"So keep the forecast handy, as many areas will see changeable weather through the weekend," the spokesman said.
