Icy morning but clear skies to start week ahead of new weather front

The Harvard formation display during the Warbirds D-Day 75th anniversary commemoration held at the Warbirds base in Ardmore. Photo / Dean Purcell

A brief ridge of high pressure is bringing a settled end to the weekend for many - a welcome relief after a lashing of rain and freezing temperatures.

But a cold air mass and clear skies over the country is perfect conditions for a frost on Monday morning.

It will be a cold start, especially for the South Island, with Dunedin topping the southern forecast with an expected morning high of just 7C. A few stations are expected to drop below freezing and Timaru is set to drop to -2C.

Aucklanders who braved the outdoors for the Warbirds D-Day 75th anniversary commemoration, held at the Warbirds base in Ardmore, were treated to a sunny but chilly Sunday, and should expect much of the same on Monday.

While temperatures are forecast to get as low as 6C in the City Of Sails, morning showers will clear to long fine spells.

Most other major centres in the North - including; Whangarei, Hamilton, and Tauranga are also in for a fine day, with light winds.

The west coast of the North Island may experience some cloudy periods, with a chance of a morning shower or two, with northwesterly winds developing.

However, the settled weather is brief as there is another system brewing for the middle of the working week ahead.