Temperatures have plummeted this morning in the South Island with snow falling in Queenstown down to lake level for the first time this year. 

Freezing temperatures were forecast to be felt around the country today and Saturday, with conditions more akin to winter thanks to a cold blast from the Southern Ocean. 

MetService said the temperature was at 1C in Queenstown at 6am along with a fresh dusting of snow. 

Forecasters on Thursday said snow, thunderstorms and hail were all possible in Dunedin, with one commenter on MetService’s Facebook page reporting there was snow on the hilltops this morning. 

Another said the temperature in Western Southland was down to 1C with frequent hail and snow down to 200m. 

It is a marked change from warmth which has graced the country over the past few days, with Napier hitting the highest temperature in the country on Thursday at 24.1C. 

And following the cold blast the north of the country is set to be pummelled by a massive rainmaker, as the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Lola merge with another storm system. 

Before a week of rain strikes the upper north, strong winds, plenty of rain, and enormous swells are predicted to wreak havoc on regions from Northland to the East Cape on Sunday and Monday. 

Heavy snow watches in place for South Island 

Today’s heavy snow watch for Fiordland, Southland, Clutha, Dunedin, Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes should lapse by 11am today at the latest, with forecasters expecting snowfall above 300m. 

Road snowfall warnings are in place for the Lewis Pass State Highway 7, Arthur’s Pass SH73, Haast Pass SH6, Lindis Pass SH8, the Crown Range Rd, Milford Rd SH94 and the Dunedin to Waitati Highway SH1. Up to 15cm of snow could settle in places above 800m. 

The last road snowfall warning should lapse by 2pm. 

While MetService forecast an 18C high for Auckland for a cloudy and showery today and Saturday, it issued heavy snow watches and snowfall warnings further south, with Christchurch tipped to see a 0C low. 

MetService meteorologist John Law said the last throes of Tropical Cyclone Lola, which smashed Vanuatu over Tuesday night and into Wednesday, would merge with another area of low-pressure off Australia and run toward New Zealand. 

“It’s looking like we’ll see watches and warnings issued, particularly in those northern areas,” Law said. 

“It’s worth keeping an eye on the forecast as we head through the weekend,” with severe gales and heavy rain for Northland, Auckland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Gisborne, and Hawke’s Bay from Sunday evening through Monday, he said. 

Private forecaster WeatherWatch said what was left of Lola would create a “squash zone” of gale northeasterlies which could threaten power cuts and bring down trees. 

Lola fell apart 48 hours after it first exploded to life, the forecaster said.