Chilly holiday sun up north, snow in the south

Carlos Beddie enjoyed the water at Auckland's Mission Bay while Samuel Chappell (front), Nicole Chappell, Melissa Girdler and Daniel Dick went sledging in Dunedin.

Cold and frosty conditions are expected this morning as clear, settled weather extends over much of the country.

A cold blast that swept up the South Island yesterday brought snow to low levels in Otago and Southland but in Auckland rain and showers gave way to fine and sunny, but cool, weather.

The temperature in Auckland at 2pm was 14C but Wellington caught the edge of the southerly blast and temperatures fell to around 0C as a 20-knot wind blasted the city.

Swells of 10m or more were reported in Cook Strait but no ferry sailings were cancelled.

Earlier, snow closed roads and made driving conditions treacherous in the South Island but temperatures rose in the afternoon.

MetService forecaster Mark Pascoe said Wellington got a light dusting of snow on the ranges but the wind chill factor meant temperatures around the city fell below zero at times.

Clear, settled conditions, from an extended ridge of high pressure, were forecast for much of the country today and most of this week.

"For most of the country it's going to be fine and frosty. There will be a lot of fine weather about but it'll be chilly overnight."

The cold conditions brought fresh snowfalls to South Island skifields and temperatures low enough to enable artificial snowmaking to get under way but Mt Ruapehu had only light snow flurries.

Mt Hutt manager Dave Wilson said the field was planning to open on Saturday.

"This is probably the best start to the season I've seen in my six years here," he said.

Coronet Peak also planned to open on Saturday but Ruapehu Alpine Lifts marketing manager Mike Smith said Whakapapa and Turoa would open on June 16 as planned.