A cold southerly flow is expected to strengthen over the North Island overnight Monday as a large low pressure system moves east over central and northern New Zealand.
Rain over the central North Island associated with these features is forecast to fall as snow down to about 600 or 700 metres during Tuesday.
It is likely that the snow will be heavy above 800 metres for a time Tuesday morning about the central North Island high country north of Taihape township, including Tongariro National Park and the Kaimanawa and Kaweka Ranges, with 10 to 15cm of snow falling in the period. The snow is expected to affect many of the higher roads through the area.