Chilly mornings expected to start off the working week, before

A beautiful Sunday on Auckland's Tamaki Dr yesterday. Photo / Dean Purcell

Frosty mornings are expected to kick off the working week, as unseasonably cold temperatures are forecast over the next two days.

MetService said yesterday that colder southerlies were spreading over the country and would result in rain in some parts - as well as "a noticeable change'' from the warmer temperatures many have enjoyed.

Meteorologist Stephen Glassey said the South Island is forecast to be the coldest this morning, while the rest of New Zealand is in for a chilly morning tomorrow. "Early morning temperatures could get close to zero in some inland parts of both islands,'' he said.

An unseasonably cold start to this week. Get the full forecast at https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^SG pic.twitter.com/1z5UTdraC0

— MetService (@MetService) February 24, 2019

Auckland is in for a high of 23C today and an overnight low of 11C. Whāngārei has a high of 22C, Wellington 15C and Gisborne 18C - although, the latter is in for rain, possibly heavy and thundery before dawn.

A high pressure is due to bring fine weather for most areas over the next week.

But a weakening front will move north over the country on Wednesday and Thursday - bringing rain.

"While there has been useful rain for some parts of New Zealand this weekend, unfortunately there is not a lot more in the outlook for places that need it."

Those southerlies are expected to die out today and tomorrow and a ridge of high pressure is set to move over the country.

But the combination of dying southerlies and clearing skies should cause the overnight temperatures to plummet in many areas, Glassey said.