The arrival of June has brought with it the promise of colder weather.

While overnight lows in the Bay are set to sit around the 12 degree mark for the next two days, temperatures will drop to around eight degrees come Thursday night.

Colder temperatures are set to bite as winter grips the country. Photo: File.

Daily highs will also drop from 17 degrees to around 15 degrees on Friday.

MetService meteorologist Rob Kerr says while it will be time for skiers and boarders to get excited, people might want to start putting warm hats and gloves in their bags.

'However, many will be wanting to keep their raincoats or umbrellas handy at the start of this week,” says Rob, 'as a broad complex low moves over the country bringing significant rain to many parts of New Zealand.”

MetService has issued severe weather warnings and watches for heavy rain early on Wednesday for the northern half of the North Island, and also for the top of the South Island covering Nelson and Marlborough.

Heavy rain is also forecast for the lower South Island, affecting Southland, Clutha and Dunedin, and is expected to become persistent early on Wednesday morning.

As the low tracks away to the south-east from tomorrow, a cold southerly change sweeps over the country, bringing snow down to around 400 metres over Southland and Otago, and also about the Canterbury High country overnight on Wednesday and into Thursday.

The cold air then spreads onto the North Island as we move into Friday, but south-westerlies ease towards the weekend as a ridge of high pressure moves over the country.

This means a frosty start for some on Saturday, especially for the South Island and inland parts of the North Island.