It was a frosty start to much of the country this morning as temperatures in many locations fell below 0C.
However, forecasters are warning the cool weather is expected to stay with places up north potentially in for the coldest morning of the year later in the week.
MetService reported St Arnaud, a village in the Nelson Tasman region, recorded the coldest temperature on Tuesday morning of a very chilly -5C.
Twizel followed with -4C, while Blenheim, Timaru and Queenstown hit -1C. In the North Island, Taumarunui and Waiouru recorded -3C, and Taupō was a chilly -1C.
MetService meteorologist Alain Baillie warned the frosty temperatures are expected to remain this week, with Thursday possibly being the coldest morning of the year for Auckland and Northland.
"Clear skies on Wednesday will mean a chilly Thursday morning for the North Island, with frosty conditions expected for the second day of Fieldays. It could be the coldest morning of the year so far for many places in Northland and Auckland, with minimums around 3 to 5 degrees expected," Baillie said in a statement.
NIWA said temperatures could drop below 5C in the "winterless north" due to clear skies and light winds under a ridge of high pressure on Wednesday and Thursday.
After a couple of fine days, rain is forecast to hit the North Island from Friday, potentially turning heavy on the east coast on Saturday.
"Unfortunately, the run of fine weather for the upper North Island will end on Thursday, with rain expected over Northland from that afternoon, extending south to the Bay of Plenty by Friday morning and Tairāwhiti/Gisborne on Saturday, with heavy falls possible for the Coromandel Peninsula and Gisborne," Baillie said.
However, dry weather is expected to continue for the South Island.
Here's MetService's extended forecast:
Thursday
North Island: Mainly fine with morning frosts. Isolated showers in the east clearing, and rain developing in the north. South Island: Mostly fine with morning frosts, but cloud in the west with a few showers.
Friday
North Island: Cloud increasing, rain or showers developing, but mainly dry in the west from Taranaki to Kapiti. South Island: Mainly fine with morning frosts, but late drizzle possible about coastal Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury.
Saturday
North Island: Rain or showers, but mainly dry in the west from Taranaki to Kapiti. South Island: Mainly fine, but showers for Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury.
Chatham Islands
Showers becoming isolated later on Thursday with southerlies easing. Becoming fine on Saturday.
