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Parts of the country have woken to sub-zero temperatures today but should expect a fine, warm day, while rain lingering around the North Island should start to clear.

Snow flurries at the top of the Southern Alps have left a snowfall warning in place across one mountain pass, but further in the week conditions should start to dry out across the country.

MetService said this was “a real tase of winter”, with frosts forecast for inland parts of the country throughout the week.

MetService meteorologist John Law told the Herald: “Auckland is sitting around about 14C this morning, but if we look at some of those cold ones down south, Manapōuri is -5C, central parts of Otago are at -2.7C.

“So it’s a cold, frosty start for places like Alexandra and Queenstown, but it is going to be a pretty decent day today; fine, dry, sunny.”

Snow was forecast for “the very highest parts of” the Southern Alps’ mountain passes and a road snowfall warning remained in place for the Lewis Pass (State Highway 7) until 10am.

‘Relatively settled story’ for week ahead

Drier and brighter weather was expected from Tuesday onwards, Law said, but some lingering showers and southerly winds would keep temperatures down.

“Once we head through the week, generally it’s a relatively settled story. We’ve got drier and brighter weather back with the North Island during Tuesday and perhaps Wednesday.

“In the southern parts of the country, there’ll still be some showers that push through and the southerly winds are going to mean that the week isn’t as warm as it could be.”

A high-pressure system set to build off the west of the country today was credited with ushering in the drier weather.

Law said snow should stop falling throughout the week as rain moves away from the country.

“In the far southern area where it’s the coldest, places like Manapōuri, Queenstown, it’s nice and dry, so you’ve got the cold air, but you haven’t got the moisture you need for the snow,” Law said.

Today, Law said southern areas would enjoy a bluebird day, while northern areas would see showers clear.

Auckland had daily high temperatures forecast between 16C and 19C for the rest of the week, with clear conditions, apart from a cloudy Thursday and Sunday.

It comes after an unsettled run, with rain and thunder yesterday, and heavy rain and strong wind throughout the last month.

A state of local emergency was declared for Christchurch City, Banks Peninsula and Selwyn when flooding impacted parts of Canterbury on May 1. It was lifted completely on May 12.

Raphael Franks is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news and local stories from Tāmaki Makaurau. He joined the Herald as a Te Rito cadet in 2022.