Cold nights with widespread single-digit temperatures; frost risk for the central North Island. 
- Monday morning saw some of the lowest temperatures recorded so far this year, including Christchurch: -0.5°C, Taumarunui: -1.7°C, Taupo: -1.8°C and Masterton: -0.5°C.
- Clear skies dominate early in the week under a ridge of high pressure.
- Rain and warmer, humid air arrive late week as a trough moves in from the Tasman.
- Strong northwesterlies develop over the lower South Island ahead of rain on Thursday.

MetService is forecasting a week of two halves, with frosty mornings, clear days and chilly nights to kick off the week, then wet weather looming toward the end.

Settled weather and cool overnight temperatures are expected for many, as a broad ridge of high pressure dominates Aotearoa New Zealand early this week. Single digit overnight temperatures will be felt by much of the country over the next few days, with the potential for central North Island areas to drop into the negatives on Tuesday morning.

The ridge will bring clear skies for most, but it does push some coastal cloud and a few showers onto the east of the North Island, and the west of the South Island. A return to more normal temperatures is expected heading into Wednesday and Thursday, as northerlies begin to build, drawing warmer air down from the tropics.

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“Warmer doesn’t always mean better,” says MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden. “These relatively settled conditions aren’t expected to last. A band of rain is building in the Tasman, pulling warm, moist air from the tropics, resulting in some wet weather later this week.” As this system approaches, strong northwesterlies are expected to develop over the lower South Island late Wednesday, potentially bringing gusty conditions to exposed areas. This extends to the lower North Island on Friday.

The wet weather is set to move onto the south of Te Waipounamu/South Island early Thursday morning, and quickly move north, affecting much of the country come Friday.

“With a crisp, clear start to the week, and wet conditions approaching, don’t be caught off guard and keep up to date with the latest forecasts at metservice.com” says Lynden.

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