After a frosty start to Wednesday across much of New Zealand, with a bracing -5degC at Dunedin Airport for the second morning running, temperatures have recovered nicely this afternoon.

But once the sun goes down, watch those thermometers plummet again.

Tonight will be very cold across just about the entire North Island, with frosts on the cards again almost everywhere except for the coastal strip and around Wellington, where northerly winds are expected to pick up.

The north and east of the South Island can also expect frosts in sheltered places, but perhaps not as harsh in the far south as those experienced this morning.

However, it’s a different story on the West Coast, where that increasing northerly airflow will bring thickening cloud and milder than normal temperatures tonight.

On Thursday, temperatures will remain about or a little above average for the time of year across the North Island.

But that developing north to northwest flow over the South Island will start to influence temperatures there, with parts of Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland having afternoon maximums perhaps 5degC or more higher than usual.

For Max & Min NZ Temperature maps for the next few days and nights ahead, please visit our new maps page: https://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/maps-radars/temperature/temperature

By Guest Weather Analyst Paul Gorman – WeatherWatch.co.nz