Alexandra still feeling the chill after cold start

Central Otago was greeted to a hard frost this morning, however roads were dry and the skies are clear. PHOTO: ODT FILE/ ALEXIA JOHNSTON

While most Southerners shivered through the night, residents in Alexandra were still feeling the chill in the late morning as the town sat as the coldest place in the country.

Clear skies overnight combined with a cold southerly change led to frosts from much of the Central North Island through the South Island.

Central Otago was greeted to a hard frost this morning, however roads were dry and the skies are clear.

The temperature in Alexandra dropped to -6.9degC at 7am today, and MetService said it was still experiencing temperatures in the negatives late this morning.

At 11am it was the coldest place in the country at -1.4degC.

At noon it was still struggling to break zero when it recorded 0.3degC.

It was similar in Wanaka where the temperature dropped to -4.1degC at 9am, before rising to -0.2degC at 11am.

Omarama dropped to -6degC at 6am but managed to break zero about 10am when it recorded 1degC.

Danseys Pass remains closed, from the gates past the Danseys Pass Hotel, due to snow and ice.

The NZ Transport Agency said the Milford Road was open today but motorists were told to drive cautiously as black ice was possible.

There was ice from Park Boundary to Milford Sound Drive, it said.

Queenstown Lakes District Council said at about 7am temperatures were below zero across much of the region.

‘‘Our contractors have a full fleet of trucks out there in anticipation of possible issues created by remaining moisture from recent rain meeting this morning's hard frost.

‘‘Take a bit more time to get where you're going in case you find a newly developing ice spot before we do.

‘‘A massive high pressure system sits over NZ and is likely to dominate our weather for the next week.

‘‘Anticyclones like this mean cold air is descending from the upper atmosphere to nip at our noses.

‘‘This descending air is also very dry meaning clear, cold, dry days.

‘‘We may see multiple frosts and hoar frosts developing in places that see no sun at all.’’

Queenstown has a fine day and high of 8degC today before an overnight low of 2deg and high of 11degC tomorrow.

The Super Rugby match in Dunedin between the Highlanders and Chiefs tonight will be indoors from 7.05pm.

For those enjoying pre-game drinks, Dunedin can expect clear, fine skies, but it will be chilly.

The city is looking at a high of 11degC tonight, an overnight low of 5degC and a fine day and high of 11degC again tomorrow.

Most of the South Island will be bathed in winter sunshine tomorrow.