Temperatures have dropped below zero in a few North Island centres as the weekend gets off to a crisp start.

Waiouru is -4, Taupo – 3,  Rotorua -2 and Palmerston North and Whakatane are recording a very nippy – 1 degree. Hamilton and Lower Hutt aren’t faring much better with zero degrees.

In the South Island Nelson and Blenheim are unusually the coldest towns with zero whereas even though Oamaru has a blustery sou’ wester, it’s 10 degrees.
The warmest spot over the Mainland is Milford Sound with 11 degrees which is in stark contrast to what it has been for much of the week. A nor’ wester is gusting above 100kph there this morning with some heavy rain showers moving through at times.

In the 6 main centres, the highest temperature is in Dunedin with a sou’ west wind and a reading of 9 degrees.

Main centres at 8am

Auckland  7

Hamilton  0

Tauranga  1

Wellington  5

Christchurch  7

Dunedin  9