KEY POINTS:
Aucklanders who yesterday had to cope with the coldest start to any day this year can take comfort in that it was probably as cold as it will get this winter.
MetService forecaster Bob McDavitt said readings taken at Auckland Airport at dawn recorded a 1C air temperature and a - 4C frost, making them the coldest temperatures recorded for the city this winter.
Henderson was even colder with a - 1C air temperature and - 5C frost.
Whangarei also had its coldest morning this winter with an air temperature of 2C as did Rotorua with - 3C. Tauranga's - 1C was equal to the morning of July 14.
Mr McDavitt said the frosty morning in Auckland was due to clear skies, no wind and relatively low moisture levels on the ground due to fine conditions on Sunday.
The forecast for the next few days of westerlies and south-westerlies would not bring cold temperatures. "I am pretty confident it is not going to get any colder."
Yesterday's frost was only moderate, not the first this winter and not a record breaker. Auckland usually got more frosts.
Mr McDavitt said temperatures around the country were levelling out and would soon start climbing again.
In the South Island, the coldest temperatures were a couple of weeks ago when Antarctic-cooled air was hanging over the land mass. But places like Queenstown were now starting to warm up again.
Carla Salinger, of Weatherwise Auckland, released data showing Auckland's winter to be a mixed bag.
For June, maximum temperatures were 1C above average and the minimum temperatures were 1C below average.
The first week of July had shown above-average temperatures, the second week just below average and last week just above average. Rainfall in the north and west of Auckland was average so far this winter at 60cm and close to average for central and South Auckland.
Sunday night was the coldest night this winter, ranging from 2C to - 2.4C.
