Weather: Kiwis wake to a winter’s frosty morning, ice road warning for Twizel

Kiwis are in for another frosty winter’s day as MetService warns that the cold weather is going to stick around.

Ōmārama locals have woken to freezing temperatures, with the area near the southern end of the Mackenzie Basin in the South Island recording a chilly -10C. The feels like temperature was -13C, according to MetService.

Twizel wasn’t too far behind, recording -7C and a feels like temperature of -10C.

NZTA Waka Kotahi have also issued an ice warning for State Highway 8 between Twizel and Lake Tekapo.

“Due to ice and fog, road users are advised to take extra care while travelling through this route.”

Motorists travelling along State Highways 85, 87 and 1 between Dunedin and Kyeburn are also advised to travel with caution due to winter conditions.

Locals in the South Island might be envious to know that Castlepoint, on the Wairarapa Coast, was recording nearly 10C early this morning.

Auckland is waking up to 5.9C but a feels like temperature of 5C.

The coldest place in the North Island early this morning was Rotorua which recorded -1.1C but a feels like temperature of -3C, Hamilton also started the day with a morning frost recording -0.9C but a feels like temperature of -4C.

In the City of Sails early birds are advised by MetService to wear three to four layers of clothing, in Rotorua and Hamilton, four layers plus a windproof piece of clothing is necessary.

Around half the country is in for a sunny day, while the other half will be cloudy – there will also be some scattered showers in some regions.

Aucklanders will see clear skies today, however there will be light winds and one or two showers north of Whangaparāoa. Temperatures are expected to reach a high of 15C.

In Northland, it will be a bit cloudy and there will be one or two showers in Whangārei which has a forecast high of 16C.

Yesterday the high was just 16C, recorded in Kawerau, Tauranga and Whakatāne. In the South Island Te Anau only reached a high of 3C and had low cloud for much of the day.

The coldest spot in the country was recorded by MetService’s Tara Hills weather station in Otago with a low of 11C.

Today’s minimum forecast says this cold weather is not letting up, in the South Island, Queenstown has a forecast low of -6C and in the North Island the coldest spot could be Taupō with a minimum forecast of -1C.