Winter is well and truly approaching as New Zealanders wake up to a chilly start on Thursday.
The biting cold follows a cool night for much of the North Island, which may have had many unearthing the oil heaters and extra blankets. According to WeatherWatch, the island's average temperatures plunged by 4C to 8C overnight, with sheltered, inland areas likely waking to frost.
The morning's cold snap is due to south-west winds across the country, according to MetService meteorologist Angus Hines, but settled and warmer weather is expected to sweep the country later in the day.
Thursday marks the coldest morning of the week for the Northland town of Whangarei, while the chilliest regions are currently Waikato and Hawke's Bay. For Taupo residents, it was a brisk start to the day at just 1C - the lowest temperature sitting over the rural community of Eastern Rangitaiki, at -1.1C.
Dawn temperature data by MetService shows there were plenty of minuses across the upper North Island, with Whangarei sitting at a frigid -6.5C. This was followed by -4.8C at Auckland Airport, -4.7C in Tauranga and -3.4C, -2.8C and -2.1C in Whenuapai, Whitianga and Ardmore respectively.
Things are looking warmer in the South Island, with lucky Southlanders basking in a "balmy, warmer-than-average morning", according to WeatherWatch. Marlborough, Nelson and Canterbury are in for sunshine and temperatures in the high-teens.
A number of Kiwis took to Twitter on Thursday to share their feelings about the weather, with one Hamilton woman saying it's currently "too cold to venture out".
An Auckland man had the right idea, staying "snug and warm in bed". But one Auckland woman didn't have the best start to the day, tweeting in the early morning: "I appreciate life, but not when it's super cold and the window in the toilet is open."
