Updated — The past couple of days have been colder – and today is a cold one for many too as average to below average temperatures sweep in.

Inland parts of the South Island are especially cold, with temperatures at minus three degrees into the 1pm hour.

It’s -3 in Middlemarch and in Twizel.

PHOTO: Hoar frost continues into the afternoon in Twizel / Jordan Langley. Visit’s Jordan’s Mackenzie Country weather page by clicking here.

Cromwell is hovering around -2 and Alexandra is on zero degrees.

Queenstown is on 2 degrees as are parts of rural Dunedin (like near the airport).

Many other parts of Southland, Otago and inland Canterbury are between 3 and 6 degrees this afternoon. Ashburton is currently 6 degrees – which is one degree warmer than Waiouru is in the North Island’s Central Plateau (+7C).

Christchurch is only 8 degrees, Nelson 12 and Wellington 13.  Taranaki has a variety of temperatures, from 11 to 16, but appears milder than many other regions today.

Parts of Auckland are down to just 12 degrees, which is colder than average for the city, thanks to a fresh south east flow that has covered the upper North Island for the past three days. 

The rest of the nation is hovering between 12 and 16 degrees as of 1pm – a definite sign winter is truly here.  WeatherWatch.co.nz is also forecasting snow this week and weekend for ski fields in both islands.

– Image / A cold South Island this afternoon! / Community stations via Wundermap

– WeatherWatch.co.nz