The cold snap affecting Aotearoa is likely to continue for a few more days yet, but forecasters say the coldest temperatures are likely behind us.
It'll still be chilly over the next couple of mornings, but Friday appeared to be the coldest for most, according to meteorologist Lewis Ferris of MetService Te Ratonga Tirorangi.
"People should still expect a few more cold mornings as we head further into next week, then things should warm up," Ferris told Newshub.
It was a bone-chilling -6C in Ōtautahi/Christchurch on Friday at 5am, and in Taumarunui it was -5C.
Other parts of the motu also dropped - although not so far - with Kaitāia dipping to a low of 7C, and Waihōpai/Invercargill dropping to a surprisingly balmy low of 10C.
Ferris said cold snaps are to be expected at this time of year, especially when a high-pressure system moves east across the country, bringing light winds and clear skies overnight.
"Those are the prime ingredients you need to have those temperatures drop off," he said.
Over the last couple of weeks, colder air masses have moved across the country from the south, causing temperatures to rise and then fall week-to-week, Ferris added.
"It's the time of year we'd expect that. It's almost been on a weekly cycle."
Cold southerly and southwesterly winds have kept a lid on temperatures for the lower two-thirds of Aotearoa in recent weeks, Ferris told Newshub.
He said it'll be a cold morning if there are clear skies and little wind.
"If we don't have that cloud or wind overnight, that's when those temperatures drop off the fastest."
Most places will have settled weather this weekend, he said, but some places may still get some rain or showers and southerlies on Saturday.
"Sunday is generally continuing on the settled side of weather, which stretches into next week," Ferries said.
After that, widespread rain is forecast to move in from the northwest, bringing with it warmer temperatures and ending the cold streak.
There are no severe weather warnings in place.
On Thursday, Transpower had urged Kiwis to cut their power usage for Friday morning, due to possible outages caused by a lack of electricity supply.
The state-owned transmission company said on Friday the public had "helped avoid a grid emergency" by reducing power usage by 200 megawatts - equivalent to the amount of power Kirikiriroa/Hamilton uses.
"Hundreds of thousands of people reduced their power use this morning," Transpower said in a post on Facebook, despite it being "colder than forecast".
It's unlikely Kiwis will have to cut their power usage again this weekend, Transpower added.
