Motorists in the South face an easier day on the roads today after receiving praise from police for driving to the conditions on an icy morning yesterday.
Acting Senior Sergeant James Ure, of Dunedin, said he had expected more than the three ice-related minor crashes reported to police yesterday. No-one was injured.
''We were really lucky. I thought there would be a lot of carnage,'' Acting Snr Sgt Ure said.
The small number of crashes was ''amazing'' for such an icy morning, he said.
Temperatures were again below 0degC across the region this morning, and while the Dunedin City Council advised of widespread black ice, there were no weather-related road closures in the city.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council said there were severe frosts in the area and ice is likely on the roads.
According to the The MetService, the temperature at Dunedin Airport was -2.8degC at 6.30am today. Queenstown Airport had the same temperature, while Alexandra Aerodrome had -3.4degC.
The Lindis Pass (-7.6degC) was the coldest place in the South Island, while several places in the central North Island were also in the minuses this morning.
Yesterday in Dunedin, firefighters were called after a vehicle slid on ice at Roslyn about 7am, a Fire Service spokesman said.
The SUV was left teetering on the edge of a bank, he said.
''They were worried it might fall down it.''
On arrival, firefighters found more vehicles stuck on a hill, near the corner of Selkirk and Tweed Sts, he said.
A St John spokesman said an ambulance was called as a precaution because of the precarious position of the SUV.
Due to icy conditions, the ambulance struggled to leave Tweed St and a fire truck towed it to where the ambulance could regain traction.
Acting Snr Sgt Ure said a car travelling on State Highway 1 between Waikouaiti and Waitati hit ice and became stuck in a ditch about 9.30am.
A truck and two cars crashed in Kaikorai Valley Rd in Dunedin at 9.20am.
NZTA Coastal Otago maintenance contract manager Nicholas Rodger said the Northern Motorway was ''the iciest it's been this year'' yesterday.
The motorway was closed from about 6am after a truck lost traction and needed assistance. Traffic was stopped in both directions. The motorway was reopened at 9.30am.
Clear skies meant severe overnight frosts were expected in the region in coming days, MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said.
They would be followed by more inclement weather on Thursday with snow possible by the weekend.
It was too early to tell how low it would fall, he said.
''A low is expected to approach from the Tasman Sea on Friday and move over the country during the weekend.
''This will probably bring a return to colder, wetter weather.
''There possibly will be some snow to reasonably low levels.''
Today's MetService forecast low was 0degC in Dunedin city, but at Dunedin Airport it was -7degC. Temperatures today were expected to reach just 8degC and 7degC respectively.
This trend was expected to continue until Thursday.
