The Gisborne region has escaped the worst of the last few days’ wintry blast, even though temperature readings have been chilly.
The current coolness is caused by Antarctica’s “refrigerator door” opening and a flow of fronts and cold air surging up the East Coast from the south.
The first realtaste of winter has produced the coldest 24 hours so far this year.
MetService charts show the freezing level dropped down to around 700 metres in the hill country behind Gisborne, and sleet may have brought a touch of snow to higher areas as far north as Mount Hikurangi.
The forecast is for cold, rainy weather accompanied by southerly winds through until Thursday.
