The weekend is off to a damp start as an "intense" front moves across the country but Sunday promises to see the sunshine return for a day.
The MetService has issued heavy rain warnings and watches as the front crosses the country today and tomorrow bringing heavy rain to central New Zealand.
"Generally the word is changeable," forecaster Hannah Moes said.
Current warnings and watches are in force for large downfalls cover the top of the South Island, lower North Island and Taranaki today.
The most intense falls were reserved for the Tararua Range where up to 150mm of rain was expected by this afternoon.
People have been warned to watch for rivers and streams rapidly rising and slips.
The MetService has also warned there could be fresh snowfall across parts of the Westland ranges and Canterbury high country north of Mt Hutt as rain turned to snow above 800m.
This late snowfall also threatened to affect roads such as Arthurs and Lewis Pass.
There was also a possibility of overnight thunderstorms across Northland and a lesser chance over north Auckland, Taranaki and the top of the South Island.
Moes said the wet weather would generally clear during tomorrow give a brief respite before a fresh front hit the country Sunday night.
"It will be fine for most on Sunday as a narrow band of high pressure brings a brief interlude between the weather systems," said Moes.
