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Bad weather continues to plague the country with slips in the central North Island and avalanche warnings in place.
The cold spell across the country is expected to continue into next week, MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said.
Windy cold conditions were easing, but another cold front was forecast to cross the South Island tonight and tomorrow morning, then hit the north in tomorrow afternoon and evening, he said.
"This is likely to bring a further burst of cold southerly winds and snowy showers to the south and east of the South Island and southern half of the North Island."
Drivers should check conditions before travelling as ice on inland roads was likely to make conditions hazardous until early next week, Mr McDavitt said.
The southerly winds were expected to die out in the South Island during Sunday and Monday and by Wednesday in the North.
However, clearing skies were likely to bring frosty conditions inland, he said.
In the North Island snow was expected to 800m or 900m at Taihape and Tongariro National Park tomorrow night, which may affect higher roads in the area including the Desert Rd.
Cold showery southerlies are forecast to rise to gale in Wellington and Wairarapa tomorrow afternoon.
Motorists should check conditions before travelling, the MetService said.
This afternoon a large slip blocked the north bound lane of State Highway 1, about 2km south of Mangaweka, 22km south of Taihape.
Meanwhile, sleet caused a number of slips along Pipiriki Raetihi Rd, west of Raetihi, 12km south of Ohakune.
The Desert Road and State Highway 4 through Tongariro National Park were reopened late this morning after sunshine melted ice and snow.
The MetService also lifted heavy snowfall warnings with only light showers expected near Ohakune and Raetihi.
The Desert Road had been closed as conditions were too treacherous for motorists - a truck and trailer having jack-knifed this morning, blocking both lanes north of Waiouru.
Seven trucks which became stranded on SH4, north of Ohakune, from around 3am, unable to negotiate the incline through the National Park as snow and ice coated the roads.
Roading crews worked this morning to free them as the road warmed enough to clear a path.
Black ice in Taranaki meant a number of vehicles slid off the road, although no injuries were reported.
Police patrol cars were out leading traffic as most crashes were caused by people going too fast for conditions, Stratford police acting Sergeant Dave Lindsay said.
"But even in the patrol car we were getting some people trying to overtake us. Obviously they were in a hurry to get to work."
Police attended at least six accidents between Stratford and New Plymouth this morning.
Rotorua awoke to the rare sight of snow this morning with the eastern suburbs and hills behind the airport coated.
Weather analyst Philip Duncan says winter has "well and truly arrived early".
"It's like we haven't had an autumn. We had a warm April but there's been no in between," he said yesterday.
"We are two months away from the coldest part of the year, so to see temperatures this low is certainly eyebrow-raising."
Auckland's temperature dropped to 9C yesterday and the maximum was only 12.
Wellington (max 11C, min 9C) and Christchurch (max 5C, min 2C) were even colder.
Wind chill took the temperature in Christchurch down to minus 7C.
Last night, a large hail storm hit the Rotorua area. Police warned drivers to take care on the road between Ngongotaha and Rotorua where the slush was 6cm deep.
Yesterday's snow also brought some fun for some. Vivienne Retter, a Palmerston North importer, took her staff to the Desert Rd to make snowmen and throw snowballs at each other. Two of them, Erin Dais and Bruce Peters, had never seen snow before.
"I've never taken a winter holiday in my life so I'm rapt to be here," said Ms Dais, 21. "But that might change, though. I think I want to go skiing now."
The wintry blast closed the Desert Road for several hours in the morning.
Workers clearing the road of ice and snow said some drivers had been caught out by the foul weather, and some trucks had jack-knifed.
The Bluebridge Cook Strait ferry service cancelled two sailings due to rough seas.
Spokeswoman Wendy Pannett said one ferry asked for a tug to help it to berth in the strong Wellington winds.
An Interislander spokesman said all its ferries were operating, but some sailings had been delayed.
