Winter is knocking on the door of the South Island with snow reported at ski resorts and on the Crown Range road, between Wanaka and Queenstown.
Snow fell overnight and at times during today through the southern part of New Zealand and the high country of Canterbury.
The cold blast is set to sweep into the Central North Island's Mt Ruapehu tomorrow.
The Remarkables Ski Area near Queenstown reported 20 cm of snow. "We've received 20cm of snow and experienced some good snow falls. It's starting to ease a bit now but temperatures are still very cold at around minus two degrees," says The Remarkables Ski Area Manager, Ross Lawrence.
Cardrona, located on the Crown Range between Wanaka and Queenstown has seen at least 20 cms of snow on the slopes.
The New Zealand ski season is due to open on 7 June with Coronet Peak, near Queenstown scheduled to be the first to open.
