Weather

Strong winds continue to buffet South Otago this morning, blowing a campervan on to its side on State Highway 1 about 5km north of Balclutha.

Snow, rain and plummeting temperatures are expected in parts of the country from Tuesday as a cold front hits.

A severe weather warning has been issued for Fiordland, as heavy rain is set to pound the region for the next 24 hours, before moving on to other parts of the South Island.

The weather during the second week of the school holidays looks to be more settled than the past week, when flash flooding and fog brought parts of the country to a standstill.

Heavy fog has lifted at Auckland airport allowing regional flights to resume.

Has it been cold at your place?

High winds are causing disruptions in Auckland City, the Fire Service are dealing with reports of flooding from all over the city and power has been cut to hundreds this afternoon, as a severe thunderstorm hits the region.

Southerners are being told to brace for a rough night as strong winds bear down on the country.

Snow meant a late start for Queenstown and Arrowtown schools and forced one main road closure this morning.

The MetService is warning of gale-force winds and snow to low levels in parts of Otago and Southland tomorrow as a narrow ridge covers the country.

A gap in the chilly weather in the South Island will be short lived, as the Metservice warns snow could be back to sea level in some parts tomorrow.

Forecasts for the Queen's Birthday holiday weekend promise a fine start but mixed end to the three-day break.

Snow flurries to near sea level are predicted for coastal Otago and eastern Southland tonight and tomorrow morning.