Much of that wet weather was set to clear overnight, but showers will linger along eastern regions.<\/p>\n
MetService meteorologist Alanna Burrows told the Herald much of the country would wake to \u201cfine and frosty\u201d conditions today.<\/p>\n
A bitter southerly has brought frosts and single-digit temperatures nationwide. Photo \/ Ben Fraser<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s going to be chilly,\u201d Burrows said.<\/p>\n
\u201cFor Mt Cook, we\u2019ve got a forecast of -9C, then it\u2019s like 2C for Kaik\u014dura, so it\u2019s going to be a chilly morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
Taup\u014d was forecast to fall to 0C, Hamilton and Rotorua to 4C, while Auckland and Wellington were both expected to start the day at around 6C.<\/p>\n
Burrows said the bitterly cold air was being drawn from around 60 degrees south, near the Southern Ocean.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt starts to change perhaps on Friday, but for most of the week, we\u2019ve got a southerly flow drawing up those cold temperatures with frost expected overnight,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
That southerly flow would also push showers on to eastern parts of the country.<\/p>\n
Despite fine spells elsewhere, Burrows said daytime temperatures would remain low.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt actually looks like most of the max temperatures are in the low teens for most places.\u201d<\/p>\n
Auckland was forecast to reach just 12C, after any isolated showers clear before dawn.<\/p>\n
Wellington faced a cooler high of just 9C, with cloudy periods and occasional showers expected to clear later this afternoon.<\/p>\n
Christchurch was forecast to reach 11C, with showers mainly around Banks Peninsula \u201cclearing to fine\u201d this morning and morning frosts also possible in sheltered places, Burrows said.<\/p>\n
The week ahead is otherwise looking relatively settled, with high pressure in the Tasman Sea helping keep conditions mostly dry.<\/p>\n
Eastern areas and the far south are most likely to see showers through to Thursday, before the flow turns more westerly on Friday.<\/p>\n
Burrows said Thursday currently looked like the pick of the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose showers in the east are kind of easing off through Thursday and we also have some stronger southerly winds and they\u2019ll be easing off on Thursday as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, lighter winds and drier weather. I think that\u2019s probably the best day.\u201d<\/p>\n