Inland Canterbury could plummet to minus 15 degrees this coming weekend

One of the strongest high pressure systems on the planet is about to move over New Zealand - bringing clear skies, light winds and a severe drop in temperatures for inland South Island.

NIWA meteorologist Ben Noll says interior parts of Canterbury, Otago and Southland could be candidates for the crisp weather.

He says it's a little bit too far out to talk about specific locations but generally, the colder spots will be away from the coast.