Snow on way as southwest system moves in

OTAGO may get its first taste of winter next week, when snow is forecast to fall down to 500m across the region.

MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn said a series of cold fronts would start moving up the South Island from tomorrow until next Thursday.

Tomorrow, a front was expected to approach the South Island from the west then spread a ‘‘cool southwest airstream’’ over the country on Monday, bringing rain.

On Tuesday, southwesterlies were forecast to strengthen, bringing the possibility of severe gales in exposed parts of the east coast of Otago, including Dunedin.

She said temperatures would drop, and snow was likely to fall to about 500m in Otago and Southland for a time on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

‘‘You’ll see it on Mt Cargill and places like that.’’

The MetService warned it could affect higher passes and roads, and if combined with strong southwesterly winds, it could cause stress to livestock.

However, it was not expected to close roads or schools.

Between Monday and Thursday, temperatures were expected to drop to 1degC overnight in parts of the region.

‘‘In autumn, we get fronts and ridges coming up from the south and that can cause quite big swings in temperature and a lot of changeable weather.

‘‘The weather could be like this right throughout April,’’ she said.