Snow's chilly start to the day

Snow covered the ground and trees around the Makahu Huts in the Kaweka Range yesterday morning.

A polar blast has dumped snow on the ranges and caused temperatures to plummet in Hawke's Bay this week, but forecasters say winter hasn't arrived just yet.

The bout of chilly air has been and gone, with maximum temperatures expected to rise from today onwards.

Dave Wise and his grandson woke up at the Makahu Huts in the Kaweka Range yesterday morning to find the site glistening with snow.

Tristan Walker (left) and Jhasper Murcott playing in the snow.

He said he and his mates take the kids up to the huts around Easter time each year for an Easter Egg hunt.

The group became aware it was snowing about 3 in the morning. By dawn, about 75mm of snow had covered the ground around the huts, with the kids quickly pulling on warm clothes and heading out to throw snowballs.

"It is quite early for a dump of snow, but it's not completely uncommon."

MetService meteorologist Rebekah LaBar said it was unusual to see snowfall so early in the year.

"It is a bit unusual, typically you don't see these lower temperatures and snow falls until later in May, but it's not unheard of either."

There had been scattered snow throughout the North Island on Monday night.

About 2cm of snow was recorded at an altitude of 600m at Taihape, as well as in southern parts of the central plateau.

Meanwhile, 5cm of snowfall was reported in Ohakune.

The region has experienced a bout of wintry weather so far this week, which Ms LaBar said was due to "a deep trough of low pressure all the way from Antarctica".

The maximum temperature was a chilly 14C yesterday, with an overnight low of just 3C.

However, the cold snap was expected to move on from New Zealand.

Ms LaBar said temperatures would increase for the rest of the week. The maximum temperature in Napier and Hastings would reach 18C today and 20C by the weekend.

"It's just a quick, early taste of winter. It doesn't look like winter's ready to set in just yet."