Chances are it was cold where you were today, as the coldest national day so far this year moved in.

Temperatures were well down across the North Island with today’s highs reflecting that.  As exclusively predicted by WeatherWatch.co.nz Auckland only climbed to 13 degrees today, but the wind chill made it feel more like 9 or 10.  The sun only came out a short time ago following a mostly gloomy afternoon and an overcast, showery, morning.

Most North Island centres only made it to between 11 and 14 with Hamilton being the warmest North Island centre on 15 degrees.

Wellington reached 11 degrees along with Taupo and Masterton as the coldest main centres in the North Island.

In the South Island the reverse nor’wester meant mild and spectacularly sunny conditions for the West Coast.  Haast took the national high with 16 degrees while Nelson and Westport had 15.

It was colder in the east, Christchurch was the coldest of the main centres in New Zealand making it to just 9 degrees along with numerous other smaller towns and cities in the south.  Queenstown only made it to 6 degrees.

See the highest temperature in your town today

And tonight conditions will drop with frosts potentially forming as far north as Auckland.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says overnight lows in Auckland will range from 2 to 5 degrees across the city, which puts some inland, sheltered areas (mostly rural) at risk of a light frost.  However a fresh south to south east breeze is still blowing and for frosts to form that wind will need to completely die out.  Auckland will be right on the border of where the winds blow and where they die out.

Frosts are more likely in Waikato where conditions are more sheltered.

Further to the south and east and those strong winds from the south/south east should mean a cold night ahead for all other North Island regions but frosty conditions aren’t expected.

In the South Island frosts will be more widespread with Marlborough and Nelson being especially cold.  Frosts are possible through Canterbury and the West Coast and highly likely in Central Otago.  Frosts are also possible in northern Southland.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says some parts of Central Otago will drop to minus 5 overnight tonight, with Queenstown expected to drop to minus 3.

Drivers are advised to be prepared for pockets of black ice tomorrow morning in some parts of Otago and potentially around the Desert Road in sheltered areas away from the wind.

Frosts are expected to be more widespread on Friday and Saturday mornings across the country as a high starts to push in from the south west easing the winds over the North Island.

Image / File, Laura Jerome

– WeatherWatch.co.nz