Brace for more chilly weather with a fine weekend to follow

Just as our bodies start to thaw out from this morning's big chill - expect to wake up to another frosty start by the end of the week.

Temperatures dropped to single digits across the North Island on Tuesday morning and similar temperatures are expected again on Friday with Hamilton forecast to drop to between 1 and 2C, Auckland 7-8C, Tauranga 8C and Wellington 6C.

MetService shift meteorologist Claire Flynn said the weather will get a little bit warmer before another cold snap hits later this week.

Northwesterly winds were forecast for the South Island and could result in gales in some parts such as the Canterbury high country where a weather warning was in place. Gusts could reach up to 130km/h from tonight until midday Wednesday, she said.

Strong winds were also expected in Fiordland, Southland, Otago, Christchurch, Marlborough, Wellington, Horowhenua, Kapiti Coast and Wairarapa.

The winds would target the South Island late this afternoon until tomorrow morning before reaching the North Island from tomorrow afternoon.

Flynn said temperatures would start to warm up before the front hit the South Island today and reached the North Island on Wednesday night.

"The following night [in the South Island] it is looking like it could be getting frosty again since that front has then gone through and we've got colder in the South Island again and southwesterly winds."

The North Island - particularly inland areas - could be frosty overnight but will warm up before the front crosses the North Island, according to MetService. Another cold snap would hit the North Island overnight on Thursday.

"Overnight tomorrow night won't be so cold for the North Island, but after that things will start to cool off again and we will get some cooler temperatures by the end of the week again."

It would be mostly fine all over for the weekend, with showers hanging around the east and south coasts on Friday and most areas clear by Saturday.

Weather Watch head weather analyst Philip Duncan said it was now tracking the second cold snap which moved up the South Island over Wednesday and across all of New Zealand by the end of Thursday.

"Thursday on the other hand is a very different story. Temperatures take another beating across the country."

However, although Thursday night would be cold again in most places, the east coast and southern areas of both islands would the most exposed to the next windy cold snap, Duncan said.

"By the time the weekend arrives a high should be coming in, perhaps locking in frosts but also calm weather and milder afternoons."