The country, particularly the South Island, is in for a miserable and cold weekend as winter well and truly sets in.
Parts of the south will be languishing in the single digits, while others will only make the low teens.
"The last few days of June and early July are going to be well and truly winter," NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll told NZME.
Saturday's weather will be truly miserable for Taupo, Auckland, Hamilton, Palmerston North, Wellington, and Greymouth and Hokitika.
Sunday will be much of the same, although Queenstown, Nelson, Invercargill and Tauranga have been forecast a dry Saturday and showery end to the week.
Wellington will be dry but windy on Sunday.
There are no severe weather warnings in place, but heavy rain watches have been issued for Sunday for the ranges of Westland south of Otira and Fiordland.
Westland's warning lasts from 4am until 5pm, while Fiordland's is from 12am until 10am. No precise information on the expected level of rainfall has been given, but it may approach warning levels.
Newshub.
