The cold snap that has brought very low temperatures and treacherous road conditions to the South over the past few days looks to have relaxed its grip a little this morning.
While inland parts of the South Island were again very cold overnight, there are fewer road closures in the far South than in preceding days.
However, many places are below 0degC again, with Tara Hills, near Omarama leading the way at -17degC at 7am today. This follows a low of -21degC yesterday, and a high of just -9.3degC.
The MetService website showed a temperature of -3.6degC at Dunedin Airport at 7am, while inland, Alexandra aerodrome was a chilly -7.7degC.
Relief from the cold is in sight, as the conditions are tipped to ease - at least for a couple of days.
Metservice meteorologist Karl Loots said there was ''a warming trend going on and it should get warmer tomorrow, too''.
"One of the reasons was because in the last few days we've had really settled conditions which allows a lot of heat to escape overnight," he said.
A front was expected to move northeast across New Zealand, starting over Fiordland region about midnight tonight and reaching the west coast of the South Island tomorrow.
It could bring showers, rain and possibly gale-force winds, Mr Loots said.
The North Island would be affected from about midday on Friday.
Conditions could get slightly cooler over the weekend - but they would not bring the biting temperatures of the last few days, he said.
"We are seeing that warming trend and afterwards it'll be a bit cooler but nothing like we've seen in the last few days. The main thing will be some rainfall and windier conditions," Mr Loots said.
Roads
In Dunedin, the DCC urges great care as there are areas of isolated frost.
On the highways, the New Zealand Transport Agency advises caution on State Highway 8 the Lindis Pass, SH6 Haast-Makarora and SH 94 Mossburn-Te Anau because of ice, and SH94 Te Anau-Milford because of snow.
- Check highway conditions here
Caution is advised on several Canterbury highways as well.
The Queensland Lakes District Council advises there is ice and grit on the Crown Range, Glenorchy Rd, Dalefield, Arthur's Point, Malaghan Rd, Gorge Rd, Fernhill, Queenstown Hill and Mt Aspiring Rd.High risk of ice forming this morning particularly in damp shaded areas, hill sections and bridge decks.
In Central Otago motorists are urged to keep an eye out for ice grit on the roads and to reduce speeds accordingly.
The Danseys Pass Road remains closed due to snow.
Buses
The Otago Regional Council says Port Chalmers services have resumed travel into Roseneath but are still not able to travel on any hillside roads into St Leonards or Ravensbourne.
All other services are currently operating as normal.
- additional reporting NZME.
