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New Zealand is in for a lashing, with severe winds set to pound the country alongside thunderstorms and snow in some places. 

MetService meteorologist Mathapelo Makabulane told the Herald the weather is starting to show hints of spring in the final weekend of winter. 

“We switch to quite an active and quite unsettled period ... all throughout the weekend and even into early next week. 

“Some very windy conditions, a lot of showers as well and also thunderstorms.” 

Auckland is no exception and is in for a blustery weekend, with the worst conditions set to strike on Sunday. 

“Sunday is really the day where we’re going to see the strongest of those winds, and some thunderstorm activity as well. 

“When we’ve got that combination of very strong background winds like we’ll have on Sunday, and then any thunderstorms that move on top of that, those thunderstorms can actually amplify those winds locally,” Makabulane said. 

She said the amplification of the wind has the potential for damage. 

New Zealand is in for a lashing, with severe winds set to pound the country. Photo / Marty Melville 

“Saturday will be a really great opportunity to get prepared ahead of those strong winds. Tie down any of those loose items,” Makabulane said. 

For Wellington, Sunday is looking like an “interesting day” as a southerly change is set to move through during the afternoon. 

“The morning we could see some showers and then that afternoon southerly push will drop those temperatures right down. Those winds will still be there and it could be quite showery as well,” Makabulane said. 

Christchurch is forecast to be the pick of the country on Saturday and looks to remain dry across the day. 

“On Sunday, we see a weather system pushing in from the southwest. So they get a southwest change and that brings some showers as well and also much cooler temperatures.” 

For the lower South Island, the mountains surrounding Queenstown could receive a fresh dumping of snow that may trigger new road snow warnings for the area. 

“It’ll probably be a good idea for people planning to travel over the Crown Range Rd this weekend, maybe just double-checking if there is a road snow warning or what the road conditions are looking like,” Makabulane said. 

MetService says New Zealand faces an active and unsettled period of weather throughout the weekend and into early next week. Image / MetService 

Watches and warnings 

Several watches and warnings have been issued as an active front is expected to move across the upper North Island during Sunday afternoon, followed by southwest gales. 

Northland is under a strong wind watch until 9pm Sunday. 

Auckland, Great Barrier Island, Coromandel Peninsula and Waikato north of Hamilton are under the same wind watch until midnight tomorrow. 

Lewis Pass (SH7) and Milford Rd (SH94) have been issued road snowfall warnings that lift today.