FROSTS have made it as far north as Auckland this morning as temperatures plummet right across New Zealand following a night of clear skies.  The Weather Watch Centre’s head weather analyst Philip Duncan says for some it’s been the coldest night of 2008 so far.  “In parts of west Auckland the temperature has dropped to 1 degrees with light frosts being sighted.  Further south and it’s currently minus 2 in Hamilton, around zero in Palmerston North and even up in the Bay of Islands it’s just 4 degrees…hardly the winter-less north this morning!”.

But it’s the South Island that’s really feeling the cold.  South Island weather analyst Richard Green explains.  “Some mainlanders are waking up to beaut frosts this morning with 6, 7 and 8 degree frosts being recorded in a number of areas”.

“Christchurch, Timaru, Dunedin and Queenstown are all below the freezing mark
this morning but Jack Frost does hold promise that it is going to be another
sunny one across the Island”

Green says temperatures in the last week particularly in the east and south have been more reminiscent of mid July than late May and with the cold already being
felt, many are wondering just how cold will the winter of ’08 be in the
south. 

And Duncan agrees;  “May is exceptionally early for frosts in Auckland.  Usually late July or early August will herald a few frosty mornings, but May is very early.  Normally this time of year would see more south westerlies and showers but this Autumn has seen lots of high pressure over the country – meaning little cloud and wind which helps for these cold mornings”.

Other interesting facts about today’s weather:

– Ashburton, Christchurc currently -3, Dunedin, Queenstown -4

– Temperatures as cold as -6 and -7 in some parts of Central Otago.

– Paraparaumu, Levin – both currently 1 degrees.

– Highs in some Central Otago valleys will be around 3 or 4 today with fog setting in.

– A front approaching from the south will bring warmer nor’westers to the South Island later today or tonight, flushing out the fog and removing frosts for the next few days.