MetService has issued a severe weather watch for bursts of heavy rain in the south and west of the South Island tonight.
A MetService spokesman said the downpours would come as part of a front which was expected to move northeast over the South Island, between 6pm today and 6am tomorrow.
Over the 12 hour time-frame, rainfall could reach warning levels, with up to 50mm expected to fall in Southland, 40mm in the Clutha district, and up to 60mm in Fiordland.
In Westland (south of Otira), up to 60mm of rain was also expected to fall between 1am and 11am tomorrow.
Up to 3cm of snow was expected to accumulate above 700m on the Milford Road (SH94), from 1am to 7am.
Some snow flurries may affect the road above 800m in the afternoon, but little, if any, was expected to settle, he said.
