Parts of the country are in for heavy rain, strong winds and more snow

MetService says a front is causing heavy rain in Fiordland and on the West Coast of the South Island, with Milford Sound receiving 138 millimetres in the past 24 hours.

Duty forecaster Andy Best says strong northwesterlies are also affecting the lower half of the North Island, with gusts of 133 kilometres at Cape Turnagain .

He says there'll be rain east of the Alps, and snow showers in Canterbury, Southland and Clutha, including some on Dunedin's higher roads.