KEY POINTS:
Don't despair, the cold weather should be gone today, the MetService says.
The cold front that brought snow and single-digit temperatures to the country over the weekend is forecast to disappear by this afternoon.
"Autumn's back from noon," MetService weather ambassador Bob McDavitt said last night.
The cold snap and accompanying snow, which fell on mountains including Mt Ruapehu, had been "a foretaste of winter" typical of this time of year.
"You probably get your first cold outbreak around Anzac Day," he said.
"It's just the first [cold front] that's managed to get out of the Southern Ocean on to New Zealand this year."
But MetService warned a cold front moving across Southland and Otago could bring gale force winds today.
The forecast covers Stewart Island, Foveaux Strait and the eastern hills of Otago from Middlemarch southwards.
The wind gusts could reach up to 100km an hour and will continue into the afternoon.
MetService warned the gusts could damage trees and power lines in exposed areas.
A 7C start to the day was forecast in Auckland this morning, but temperatures would return to "more normal levels" for April in the afternoon.
"After that, it's all double digits for the rest of the week."
The MetService had forecast the weekend cold snap. The temperature at the Hamilton V8s clawed its way to 5C but Taupo made it only to 1C.
Waiouru recorded the low of -2C and Mt Ruapehu got a healthy dusting of snow, but Mr McDavitt said it was unlikely to stick around. "There's still time for the golden weather."
