A cold wintery day is on the cards for the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel Peninsula.

The MetService says a wintery outbreak has brought snow to the Central Plateau with snow showers expected to affect the Desert Road for most of the day.

A further eight to 15cm of now may accumulate until this evening.

A severe weather watch for strong winds remains in place for both the Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel, but is expected to ease off as the day progresses.

The MetService says the strong cold southwesterly flow covering New Zealand should ease later today as a weak ridge approaches from the Tasman Sea.

'Southwest gales could be severe at times until Saturday evening, especially over Auckland and in the lee of the Coromandel and Kaimai Ranges.”