MetService said Dunedin will be overcast for periods throughout the day and ice was still expected in sheltered valleys. Some afternoon showers were also on the cards.
At 8am this morning MetService had Dunedin as the warmest place in New Zealand at 10.6degC while not too far away, Alexandra was the coldest at 0.6degC.
Wanaka will have some low cloud and fog today with fine, icy conditions and a high of 9degC.
Queenstown will still have to deal with some icy conditions today and will struggle to reach double digits with a high of 9degC.
Alpine roads in the area were affected by snow and ice including the Lindis Pass and Arthurs Pass and has resulted in the closure of the Crown Range and Lewis Pass (SH7).
A Clutha District Council spokeswoman said overnight rain has melted most of the snow in West Otago so the roads in that area are clear but greasy.
Snow has also melted in the Waipori area but there are now patches of ice on the road. Care is urged on all roads in this area including Waipori Rd and Mitchells Flat.
Authorities are pleading with southerners to take it easy and prepare for black ice on the roads this morning as the region recovers from the year's first serious snowfall.
MetService lifted its snow warning for Dunedin last night, but warned roads could stay icy.
Meteorologist Kyle Lees said another front was expected to have passed over the South Island last night, but it was not expected to drop any snow below 600m, aside from some sheltered valleys in Central Otago which could have more snow down to 300m.
Mr Lees said ''quite nice settled conditions'' were forecast for the next few days, and cautioned drivers to be wary of icy conditions late today, Friday and early Saturday.
That warning was echoed by New Zealand Transport Agency senior journey manager Neil Walker.
He urged motorists to brace for black ice at dawn, especially in the deep south.
''Drivers in places like inland Southland need to be ready for black ice, particularly at daybreak.
''Ice-prone highways will be gritted but snow or rain and freezing temperatures can still make them dangerous.
''Black ice is largely invisible on the road surface and is commonest in shady areas and on bridges early morning and late at night.''
The South awoke yesterday to a wintry blast which closed roads, caused several crashes and delayed the opening of some schools.
Most of the motoring mayhem yesterday was confined to roads around Queenstown, where police were called after three cars became stuck and were abandoned by their drivers on the steep McEntyre's Hill section of Arrowtown Lake Hayes Rd, about 2km from Arrowtown.
Earlier yesterday morning ice contributed to a three-car crash in Lower Shotover, in Stalker Rd, where a police spokeswoman said one person sustained minor injuries.
In Dunedin, three cars slid down a bank in Elgin Rd, but all the occupants were uninjured.
One of those drivers was Rachael Smith, who was on the phone to her boyfriend trying to wrangle a ride to work when the Otago Daily Times caught up with her.
It was her first time dealing with snow and ice on the roads since she moved to Mornington about three months ago.
''It was a wee bit icy and there was some snow left on the road. But it wasn't too bad, which is why I drove down it because it didn't look too bad,'' she said.
Her boyfriend came through with the ride while her stepfather towed out her car.
Aside from the slew of minor crashes, police said they were generally pleased with the behaviour of drivers given the treacherous state of the roads.
Sergeant Karl Hemmingsen, of Dunedin, said as of yesterday evening there had been no serious crashes in the Southern district, which encompassed Otago and Southland.
He urged motorists to be on the lookout for black ice today and stick to arterial, gritted roads where possible, as winter driving conditions would prevail all day.
''Make sure your windscreen is clear, allow plenty of time for your journey and drive with caution.''
