Mosgiel falls below -5 in a very cold start to the day

Mosgiel was among the coldest places in the country this morning, waking up to numbing temperatures of just -5.3 degrees C.

Many major centers got off to a cold start with negative temperatures in Invercargill and Queenstown.

But the coldest place in the country was Lake Tekapo, which so far recorded the coldest temperature of the year at only -7.5 degrees Celsius.

Other places where the mercury would not rise were Middlemarch at -6.5 degrees C and Ranfurly at -5.6 degrees C.

However, Skifield operators welcomed the cold blast.

Laura Hedley, Cardrona general manager, said the snow was a welcome surprise as teams prepare for opening day next month.

MetService has forecast a prolonged spell of low temperatures this week, signaling the approach of winter.

None of the major centers reached double-digit temperatures: Auckland was 6C, Tauranga 9C, Hamilton 2C, Wellington 8C, Christchurch 3C and Dunedin 2C.

MetService meteorologist John Law said the southerly change hit Wellington overnight and wet, cloudy weather was forecast for the lower half of the North Island on Thursday.

Nighttime temperatures will be cold heading into Friday and the start of the day will be cold and icy in many places, he said.

“So after daytime temperatures reached only about 10C in Christchurch, dropping to about -3 or -4C the following night, severe frost is possible in many parts of Canterbury.”

Niwa forecast Thursday would be a mainly good day, except for the east coast of the North Island and the northeast of the South Island.

Niwa said the arrival of the south would reinforce cold temperatures.

There were overnight snowfall warnings for Lewis Pass, Porters Pass and Arthur’s Pass, but this morning MetService said they had now been lifted as the snowfall had cleared.

MetService has issued a high surf warning for Turakirae Head to Mataikona in Wairarapa from 10pm Friday until 8pm with waves rising to 5 meters on Friday night.

– Additional ODT reports online