Brief Mountain Forecast for all New Zealand

North Island

Valid for Sunday, 15-Mar

Raukumara Forest Park: Showers, some heavy, clearing this morning and becoming fine. Remaining North Island areas: Fine apart from areas of morning cloud. WINDS: Light winds.

Freezing Level: Above 3000 metres.

Valid for Monday, 16-Mar

Low cloud and fog developing for a time overnight and Monday morning, otherwise mainly fine. Isolated showers for Raukumara Forest Park and Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki Monday morning and afternoon. WINDS: Light winds.

Freezing Level: Above 3000 metres.

Valid for Tuesday, 17-Mar

Mainly fine. Chance of a shower about Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. WINDS:Light winds.

Freezing Level: Above 3000 metres.

Valid for Wednesday, 18-Mar

Fine. Isolated afternoon showers. WINDS:Westerlies developing, strong for a time in the south.

Freezing Level: Above 3200 metres.

Valid for Thursday, 19-Mar

Generally fine. Areas of evening cloud. WINDS:Light winds.

Freezing Level: Above 3000 metres.

Issued: 2:27pm Sunday 15 Mar 2026

South Island

Valid for Sunday, 15-Mar

Isolated showers about and west of the Southern Alps, and more frequent south of Mt Cook, where some may be heavy from morning. Mainly fine in the east. WINDS: Southwesterlies, strong to gale in exposed places south of Arthur's Pass.

Freezing Level: 3300 metres, sloping to 2500 metres in the south.

Valid for Monday, 16-Mar

Kahurangi National Park to Nelson Lakes National Park, also the Richmond and Kaikoura Ranges: Fine. The Southern Alps from Nelson Lakes National Park to Mt Aspiring National Park : The odd shower, becoming more frequent from the south during Monday. Fiordland : Showers turning to rain before dawn on Monday, heavy at times, easing to a few showers from the south Monday afternoon and evening. WINDS: Westerlies, gale south of Aoraki Mt Cook, and rising to gale south of Nelson Lakes during Monday.

Freezing Level: 3500 metres, sloping to 2400 metres in the south. lifting to 2800 metres in the south monday evening.

Valid for Tuesday, 17-Mar

Rain or showers in the west. Mainly fine in the east. WINDS:Northwesterlies, rising to gale in the south later.

Freezing Level: 3400 metres in the north, sloping to 2800 metres in the south. becoming 3200 metres everywhere.

Valid for Wednesday, 18-Mar

Rain spreading north, heavy for a time in the west, clearing Fiordland later. WINDS:Gale westerlies, severe gale in exposed places, turning lighter southwesterly from the south.

Freezing Level: About 3200 metres.

Valid for Thursday, 19-Mar

Scattered rain north of Mt Cook. A few showers elsewhere. WINDS:Westerlies.

Freezing Level: 3200 metres, lowering to 2600 metres in the south later.

Issued: 2:27pm Sunday 15 Mar 2026