Last night was the coldest of the year for most parts of the country. Early risers were met with frost, fog and icy windscreens as temperatures plunged below freezing.
Mt Cook was the coldest with -13degC and Turangi in the North Island got down to -6.4degC, a record low since July 2012.
Central Otago temperatures ranged from -8degC to -6degC, Queenstown was -4degC, Dunedin was -5.2degC and Christchurch was -5degC with "freezing fog''.
Auckland was the coldest it has been since July 2015 with temperatures plummeting to 1.4degC. The coldest night ever in Auckland was -1.2degC in June 1994.
Whangarei reached 2degC, Tauranga got down to 0degC and Wellington reached 3degC.
Gisborne was the warmest place to be last night with an overnight low of 5degC.
MetService meteorologist Ravi Kandula said frost blanketed almost the entire country.
"It was across the board except for parts of the Wairarapa and Gisborne.''
The chilly morning would be followed by a fine day with sunshine for most of the country except the southern South Island where there would be some cloud.
Sunday night was forecast to be bitterly cold again, with widespread frost.
Severe southerly gales for the Chatham Islands gusting up to 110km/h were expected to ease on Sunday.
The mainly fine weekend would be followed with showers for most of the country during the week.
The South Island will see wet weather from Monday through to Wednesday with the North Island copping an extra day of showers on Thursday.
Fiordland and southern Westland would see a particularly wet Monday, with rainfall likely to reach warning criteria.
But it was looking like it would clear up by next weekend.
