It's a cold start for the South today, with temperatures below zero in many parts of Otago and Southland.
Dunedin Airport was showing a chilly -3.7degC around 7.30am, while inland, Alexandra Aerodrome was showing -3degC, according to MetService maps.
All highways are currently open, but the Queenstown Lakes District Council is advising of hard frosts and ice, and is urging motorists to drive to the conditions.
Further north, winds picked up overnight and much of the country is set to be drenched as a complex low conjures up days of rain, gales and snow.
This morning some commuter ferry sailings across Auckland's Waitemata Harbour were suspended because of blustery conditions.
The MetService put out a severe weather warning yesterday for southern Westland, where heavy rain is expected late tonight and early tomorrow.
The heaviest falls are likely in Westland south of the glaciers, where 100-120mm of rain may accumulate in a 15-hour period. Trampers have been warned to watch for rapidly rising rivers and streams.
Weather watches were also issued for Northland, Auckland and Great Barrier Island, as a low and associated front approached the top of the country from the north Tasman Sea.
The weather is expected to drastically deteriorate as the moisture-laden front brings northeast gales and rain to northern New Zealand today and tomorrow morning.
Severe gales are likely to pound the Far North today, and the entire upper half of the North Island will be buffeted tomorrow. The gales are not expected to die down until Friday.
Niwa is expecting up to 62mm and 60.8mm of rain to fall in Whangarei and Kaitaia tomorrow, and 21.8mm for Auckland.
MetService meteorologist Andy Best said along with the winds it would be extremely wet along the eastern coastline of both islands, and the West Coast of the South Island, as moisture-laden tropical air caught up in the complex low moved south.
By tomorrow virtually the entire country will be under a storm cloud.
Bay of Plenty, Auckland, Northland and Canterbury are expected to be the worst affected.
Snow was also expected to fall down to 500m in Canterbury tomorrow and Friday, affecting alpine roads for the second week running.
Those at Treble Cone will be hoping the prized flakes head their way too - the Central Otago ski area was to open for the season tomorrow, but that has been postponed due to lack of snow.
The stormy weather is expected to track across the country on Friday but will be followed by a chilly southwesterly change sweeping up the country over the weekend, Best said.
But before then, the upper North Island would bask in spring-like temperatures thanks to the tropical air spilling from the complex low.
"For this time of year it's still warm. Just a day after midwinter's day it'll be 18C in Auckland."
The weather is expected to clear across the rest of the South Island for the weekend to leave cold, frosty mornings.
- additional reporting NZME
