Wintery blasts are walloping the country with severe weather warnings in place for much of the country, the MetService said today. Heavy rain is lashing the Bay of Plenty, Mount Taranaki and northwest Nelson, and a severe weather watch is in effect for Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, the hills of inland Taranaki, across the Central Plateau, and for northern Fiordland and Westland. Southerly winds were likely to be cold enough to briefly bring snow down to around 400 metres in Fiordland, Southland, Otago, and Canterbury. "Late on Tuesday, the cold hand of winter is likely to tighten its grip," Mr McDavitt said. Much colder southerlies were expected to sweep north across the country with snow showers to sea level in Fiordland, Southland, and Otago, and to near sea level in Canterbury and Kaikoura, and with a few heavy falls possible "Tuesday's southerly will be unusually cold. Farmers should shelter any vulnerable stock, and motorists should keep up to date with latest weather and road conditions."
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