An Antarctic blast swept across the country less than a week ago and temperatures have been down ever since. This weekend a new westerly change will see temperatures lift up a little from the previous week.

Snow, frosts, black ice and flooding – along with a heck of a lot of sun – dominated New Zealand’s news headlines this week.

Meanwhile overseas Tropical Storm Earl claimed dozens of lives in Mexico following mudslides.

Below are some of the most popular stories and images of the past 7 days…

• Intense Hawke’s Bay blizzard almost reaches Taupo

• -11 and below on Sunday morning – Double Digit negatives, what a way to start the day!

• It’s Lunchtime and places in NZ are still below Zero Degrees

• Tropical Storm Earl kills dozens in Mexico following landslides 

• Creative PHOTO: Extinct Mt Maunganui looks like it’s Erupting!

• Flooding hits northern Auckland

• Damp, gloomy & cold – winter finally arrives in northern NZ

• Warmer Westerlies return to NZ to cut off warmer southerlies

• Photo(s) of the day (x5) – Kapiti Coast looking “wow”

– Image / Via WeatherWatch.co.nz’s Twitter page sent in by @kmanasan03  on Friday AM (Kenn Manasan of Dunedin)

– WeatherWatch.co.nz