16 Apr 2011

Bitterly cold weather forecast for lower South Island

11:41 am on 16 April 2011

Otago and Southland are set for a brief wintry blast from Sunday afternoon through to Monday.

MetService says a strong, very cold southwest flow is forecast to spread onto southern New Zealand.

It is likely to bring snow showers down to about 400 metres in inland Southland and southern parts of Otago overnight on Sunday.

MetService is not predicting significant snowfalls but says a combination of wintry showers and strong winds are likely to make for bitterly cold conditions, especially about exposed coastal hills where winds could reach gale-force.