Snow is set to fall on parts of the South Island today, with temperatures plunging to single digits and a “dicey” weather forecast for Santa’s arrival late next week. 

MetService head of news Heather Keats told Herald NOW it will be a “pretty bleak day” all around the country, with snowfall warnings and heavy rain watches for parts of the South Island. 

Snowfall is expected to hit two of the south’s alpine passes tonight, with warnings in place until tomorrow morning for both Crown Range Rd and Milford Rd (SH94). 

Temperatures in Queenstown are set to drop to a chilly 5C and 3C at night this weekend. 

Keats advised Kiwis travelling for the holidays to keep an eye on the weather radar as rain makes its way up the country today. 

Thunderstorms are forecast from North Otago to as far north as Kaikōura – at a stretch – with the wet weather set to drift up to the City of Sails by the evening. 

The ranges of the Westland District are under a heavy rain watch with a chance of upgrading to a warning, as are the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthur’s Pass. 

Southerners hoping for a warm reprieve tomorrow are out of luck, as Keats said all of the Mainland’s major towns and centres will struggle to hit 20C. 

The lower temperatures will arrive this morning and stick around over the weekend, before bouncing back early next week in a “swinging” pattern. 

As for Christmas Eve, Keats warned that Santa should expect the conditions to be a “bit dicey” as he arrives in Aotearoa. 

“He’s going to be flying in with a little bit of turbulence on Christmas Eve,” she said. 

The forecast for the silly season is mixed, as a low-pressure system travels up the South Island and a warm front comes down from the North. 

Keats said, “It’s going to be a Christmas Day where you want to plan for both indoors and outdoors,” with showers “peppering” across the nation. 

A wintry chill will be felt in the lower parts of the country, while humid, warmer temperatures are expected in the upper north and eastern regions of the North Island. 

While Keats said it was “still too far out to say” what kind of weather Kiwis can expect for their New Year’s celebrations, “it does look like we’ll get some settled weather in between Boxing Day and New Year’s Eve”.