In the winter, May to August, the weather tends to be more changeable. Cold fronts often bring a period of rain to western areas followed by a cold wind from the south bringing snow to the mountains and sometimes to near sea level over eastern parts of the South Island. When the weather turns cold and wet in the east, to the west of the mountains it will often be fantastic
In spring, from August to November, the westerly winds are typically at their strongest – these are called the equinoctial westerlies