Weather: More chilly nights in store as temperatures plunge below zero around NZ

A high-pressure system hovering over New Zealand is expected to bring some of the coldest temperatures of the year tomorrow and Thursday, before rainy weather returns ahead of the weekend.

A meteorologist says the country’s latest run of crisp, clear and chilly days is something we can expect more of this season, in what’s predicted to be a marked change from the abnormally wet and warm winters of the last three years.

MetService forecaster David Miller said the current high had already delivered some bracing temperatures over the past few days.

The North Island is joining in on the cold starts this morning, with Taumarunui and Waiouru recording -3C. Masterton got down to 0C, while St Arnaud was coldest with -5C. pic.twitter.com/aV5SDVMzbJ

— MetService (@MetService) June 12, 2023

“On Sunday morning, Auckland Airport got to 4.7C - and for tomorrow morning, we’re looking at an overnight low of 5C,” he said.

“That’s just one example where the overnight lows are going to be fairly cold.”

Further south, the mercury had fallen well below zero at locations such as St Arnaud – reaching a freezing minimum of –5C this morning – and Twizel, which recorded a low of –4.5C early today.

“In the South Island, we’ll be seeing more frosts. Christchurch is looking at an overnight low of zero, but further inland, places like Alexandria may get to –2C, Wanaka, zero, and Queenstown, -1C.”

Wednesday & Thursday morning look particularly chilly across Aotearoa/New Zealand thanks to clear skies & light winds under a ridge of high pressure 🥶

This map shows where the temperature is forecast to drop below 5˚C (🟣) & 0˚C (🔵) on Thursday ~ even in the winterless north! pic.twitter.com/jW4tWPMx1e

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) June 12, 2023

In the North Island, some of the coldest spots had been Taumarunui, Waiouru and Taupō - all which registered minus-zero lows this morning.

“It’s been fairly settled for most of the last week for much of the country, but there is a rain system coming in on to the upper North Island later on Thursday, and then spreading on from Gisborne and Bay of Plenty northwards on Friday and into Saturday.”

Elsewhere in the North Island, MetService was forecasting mainly dry conditions in the west from Taranaki to Kapiti over Friday and Saturday.

It’d also be largely clear across the South Island on those days – but with drizzle and then showers possible for Nelson, Marlborough and Canterbury.

Looking ahead to the rest of winter, Miller said there could be more frosty days in store.

https://t.co/Bhj7QzTXNx

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) June 12, 2023

Under a rare and now-faded “triple-dip” La Nina, New Zealand has experienced consecutive record-warm winters since the start of the decade – and last winter also happened to be our wettest on the books.

This season, however, Niwa was predicting more high pressure systems – and its recently-released outlook for winter indicated equal odds for normal to below normal rainfall for the northern North Island.

“I think what we’re getting, and the next few days ahead, is going to be the flavour of the winter – or what is more like an average winter,” Miller said.

“We haven’t really seen an average winter for the last couple of years, so, even though temperatures will be more like average, they’ll feel a lot colder for a lot of people.

“I’ve certainly had the fire going at my place for the last few days.”