A cold wintry blast has covered parts of Southland with snow and left some roads closed.
Heavy snow warnings were issued by MetService for Central Otago, the Southern Lakes, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland and Stewart Island, and Fiordland about and south of Doubtful Sound, lasting into Monday in some places.
There are also strong wind watches for Hawke's Bay and Tararua, Marlborough, Nelson, the Canterbury high country, Dunedin, Clutha, Southland, and Stewart Island.
MetService Meteorologist Lisa Murray spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.