Weather: 'Cold shot' to drive temperatures down 10C next week

Make the most of the weekend's warm weather while you can - New Zealand is in the firing line for a "cold shot" next week.

WeatherWatch warns a cold front will move up the country next week, which could drive temperatures down 10C.

"Spring chaos continues next week, and while temperatures this weekend are several degrees above average in many regions it will be a very different story next Wednesday and Thursday," the forecaster says.

"A classic spring cold front [is] coming in by around Tuesday/Wednesday - this comes with a blast of wind and Southern Ocean air lingering until the end of next week."

This cold snap will be particularly cold for the southern half of the South Island, and WeatherWatch warns it could be a tough day or two for newborn livestock there.

"Parts of Southland, Otago and Canterbury are now expected to lose over 10C from their daytime highs over the next couple of days," it says.

"By next Wednesday and/or Thursday highs in the lower South Island will be just 5C to 9C with snow flurries possibly affecting Queenstown, Gore and Lumsden and the hilltops of Dunedin."

The cold air does make it up the North Island too. Thursday will be a windy, colder, day nationwide with a strong sou'west flow covering much of New Zealand.

It is short-lived however - high pressure returns to New Zealand by next Friday and for the final weekend of September.

Newshub.