This morning Waiouru recorded a chilly 8.8 C - the coldest spot in New Zealand.
While there are no warnings currently in place, temperatures are not expected to bounce back until Sunday.
MetService duty forecaster April Clark said warm, summer-like temperatures were unlikely to return until next week.
“It’s a cool and windy start to summer. We’ve got a good southwest flow over all of Aotearoa today but it still remains quite cool into the weekend.
“Since those winds aren’t tipping more northwest and bringing in more warm air from the north it’s not looking like it’s going to do this for up to a week so those cooler temperatures are going to linger around the county for the next week or so.”
However, it was expected to be drier with thundery activity easing across the country.
Yesterday Niwa released its summer outlook forecasting New Zealand’s slide into summery weather was likely to be somewhat “disjointed” with an upcoming fine spell sitting amid an otherwise messy forecast for the coming month.
Forecaster Ben Noll said he saw no sign of an instant transition to settled skies.
“I don’t think it’s going to be a seamless transition, so I’d caution against the idea that December is going to be this beautifully sunny month.”
While Kiwis could expect a period of blue skies likely beginning from this weekend and rolling into the week after, Noll said this might not come with typically summery temperatures.
It follows a turbulent day of violent thunderstorms and a tornado that left more than 1000 homes without power and damaged properties in Hauraki yesterday afternoon.
Residents of Paeroa and Ngātea took cover as a twister barrelled through the community, lifting roofs and toppling trees.
While no one was injured, the Paeroa RV Centre suffered considerable damage with the roof of the campground’s hall torn off by the wild winds.
