Severe weather warnings are in place for many regions from the central North Island to the lower South Island.
Heavy rain on the West Coast of the South Island on Friday night is expected to move onto the North Island overnight, with significant heavy rain expected in the Tararua Ranges and the Central Plateau.
Snow is expected in the high country of Canterbury and Otago and could fall as low as 300 metres.
MetService forecaster Gerard Barrow says North Canterbury and eastern Marlborough are in for
gusts of wind up to 130km/h.
Those winds are likely to move into the lower North Island overnight on Friday, hitting Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawke's Bay, Taihape and Taranaki.
The upper North Island should expect severe gale gusts in exposed areas later on Saturday.
