Some relief is on the way for Northlanders sick of the chilly fickle spring weather during the past week or so, with warmer temperatures due from the weekend.
MetService media and communications meteorologist Daniel Corbett said people across the country had been complaining about unseasonably cold weather that has seen spring ground frosts further south.
In Northland, the thermometer had dropped as low as 6C overnight recently, forcing some to pull out the winter blankets they thought they had locked away for the summer.
"It's called spring and it's been a bit of a rollercoaster ride. Right across the country it's been fickle and Northland has had some cold nights recently," Mr Corbett said.
"We've had a a southerly spreading that cold air across the country, but things will start to warm up at the weekend. On Friday your lows will be 10C to 11C, with highs of around 18C, but from Saturday you'll see the return of 20C-plus temperatures and it shouldn't get below 10C again."
Mr Corbett said a neutral to weak El Nina weather pattern was predicted for Northland during summer, which would bring a mixed bag.
"It should give everybody a bit of what they want," he said. "Holidaymakers will have some fine, sunny weather while farmers will have a bit of moisture at times, too.
"In late December early January though you will have to keep an eye out for the remnants of any tropical storms possibly heading your way."