A fleeting ridge of high pressure will bring a mostly dry start to the weekend, but it's short lived as rain is expected to move over the country.

A low from the North Tasman Sea and an active front from the Southern Ocean are expected to bring rain and eventually much colder conditions.

Frost and snow are on the cards for New Zealand next week.

MetService media and communications meteorologist Dan Corbett says the weekend will end of a wet note and usher in a real taste of winter early next week.

'Extra jumpers will need to be on hand.

'The low from the Tasman Sea will be a good source of moisture from the sub-tropics so heavy rain can be expected over the northern half of the North Island during Saturday night and early Sunday, accompanied by strong winds.”
Dan says there is an outside chance of these strong onshore winds and heavy rain coinciding with exceptionally high tides.

'This low will slip away quickly to the east on Sunday.

'Another active front will slide up the South island during Sunday bringing strengthening northerlies and outbreaks of rain, heavy for a time along the West Coast.”

On Sunday and Monday a cold south-westerly flow is expected to spread across New Zealand, bringing snow to near sea levels in the far south by the start of the working week and hard overnight frosts to some areas.

Additionally, heavy southwest swell are expected along western coasts from Monday for a few days.