Jack Frost will bite the country this week after the tail-end sting of freezing weekend weather beings wind, showers and snow tomorrow.
"We've got a front that's moving up the country tomorrow - another cold front ahead of a ridge that's going to blow up the country," MetService meteorologist Rob Kerr said.
As school resumes after the holidays, strong southwest winds would blow in along with the odd shower. Conditions were forecast clear into the evening.
There will be a dusting of snow for the eastern South Island 600m above seas level and then later in the day, as the front moves up the country, for the eastern high country of the North Island.
Then for the rest of the week, a high hovering over New Zealand would bring calm and settled weather.
Mr Kerr said inland areas should expect frosts, but nothing like the record lows of a few weeks ago.
WeatherWatch is forecasting at least three and as many as six settled, calm and mostly dry days once the winds clear.
Its head weather analyst Philip Duncan said by Friday and Saturday, a strengthening northwest flow would push across the South Island and lower North Island, when the high departed to the Pacific Ocean and a rain band would arrive from the Tasman Sea.
Mr Duncan said Aucklanders should expect to stay dry from Tuesday to Thursday, before some cloud moved in, eventually bringing showers on Sunday.
Wellington would be cold tomorrow with showers and even some hail as the mercury limps to 11C. Sunny and dry weather would move in before the wind arrived on Friday and strengthened over the weekend.
Christchurch was also expected to be wintry tomorrow, with showers, hail and snow to 300m mixed in with sunny spells. A four-day dry patch then follows with gusty north-west winds on Friday lifting temperatures to 12C, 13C or even 14C.
An icy southern blast has caused road closures and treacherous driving conditions around the country this morning, following yesterday's storm which left many without power.
MetService said a strong, cold southwest flow over New Zealand was bringing showers to southern parts of the North and South Islands, and the North Island north of Huntly, with snow down to 400 metres.
With skies clearing, we can get a glimpse of snow extent from this false colour sat pic where red is ice/snow. ^RK pic.twitter.com/vyNCF84DtP
— MetService (@MetService) July 18, 2015
The Desert Road is closed due to snow, and the Rimutaka Hill Rd, north of Wellington, was closed for a time this morning. The road has now reopened but the New Zealand Transport Agency said driving conditions were still difficult.
In the South Island, Police have warned motorists in Otago and Southland to be careful in icy conditions, and said black ice had caused several crashes this morning.
Sergeant Tony Ritchie said officers had received about 10 reports of cars losing control on the ice and sliding into parked cars, some of which were parked in "dangerous positions" on steep roads such as Hill St.
"The conditions are still pretty poor out there. It's starting to clear and the sun's heating the roads. We still don't want people taking unnecessary trips."
Mr Ritchie advised people to stay at home if possible. He said snow last night in the city had frozen, creating the treacherous conditions.
NZTA has warned of snow and ice on the Lindis Pass, Burkes Pass, and Arthur's Pass.
Warnings are also in place for State Highway 6 from Cromwell to Frankton, and Kingston to Lumsden. Chains are needed on SH94 from Te Anau to Milford Sound.
At Queenstown Airport, flights have been on hold since early this morning due to icy conditions. The airport said snow had been cleared and conditions were rapidly improving. Flights were expected to resume between 11am and 11.30am.
The Interislander has cancelled three sailings today, at 8.30am, 10.45am and 1.15pm.
MetService duty forecaster Rob Kerr said there had been widespread snow across the country, particularly in eastern and southern parts of the South Island, with more expected tomorrow, but "not quite as much as we've had today over the last 24 hours".
Temperatures in the South Island this morning dropped to -7C at Mt Cook, -4C in Twizel, and -2C in Haast.
The Desert Rd recorded -3C.
Mr Kerr said the cold conditions were the result of a southwesterly flow sweeping up from the Southern Ocean, and moving across the South Island yesterday.
"That southern air has swept right across the country now, bringing cold, showery southwesterlies."
Power has been restored to the 1500 Auckland homes and businesses, mostly around Hillcrest on the North Shore, that lost electricity during yesterday's weather bomb, a Vector spokeswoman said.
But high-wind gusts knocked out power to 105 Vector customers in Waiwera, north of Auckland, at 3.20am today.
The spokeswoman said it should be restored by 3.30 this afternoon.
Mt Hutt Ski Field received 17cm of snow today, but the access road was closed as wind-blown snow prevented it being cleared. The Ski Field said chains would be required if the road was reopened later today.
At Cardrona, a 10cm snowfall had produced wind-blown snow drifts of up to 30cm, however the access road was also closed.
Queenstown Airport said just after 11.30am that flight operations had resumed and the first flights had landed. Delays were expected to continue to affect flights throughout the day.
The lower North Island faces winds of up to 120km/h and, as students go back to school tomorrow, the MetService warned of difficult driving conditions.
Those facing a clean-up after yesterday's wet and windy weather bomb in Auckland can still expect to battle a few showers but the worst is over.
MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn said the heavy rains and violent gales would clear by this morning, with a high of 14°C expected.
Image 1 of 9: Tornado through avondale at 1045am. Neighbour shed lifted and landed on house. Photo / Marie Person
In the central North Island, the weather is predicted to gradually become fine but showers are expected to hang about the eastern areas.
About 150 Powerco customers in Waihi, Whiritoa and surrounding areas remain without power because of trees and branches falling on to lines in thigh winds early this morning.
Crews were making good progress in restoring power and most people should have electricity by 3pm, Powerco acting network operations manager Dean Stevenson said.
All but a few of the 6000 Bay of Plenty and Coromandel customers who lost power yesterday have had it restored, while isolated outages were expected to be repaired by tonight.
Also today about 300 customers in southern Wairarapa lost power just before 7am, also because of trees falling through lines in severe weather.
Power was restored by 8.50am.Mr Stevenson said such cuts could be avoided if tree owners called in professionals to clear trees from lines.
"Arranging for a Powerco-approved contractor to cut away branches growing too close to lines would make a huge difference."
Motorists driving through Arthur's Pass are in for a picturesque seasonal treat as stalactites cling to rocks in shaded areas of the road.
Arthur's Pass Cafe and Store manager Marion Bohny said they formed a while ago.
"It doesn't get much sun. Once they are there they stay for the winter," she said.
"Today the sun is out. It's quite cold and we're still getting frosty mornings, -5 degrees. Although it's sunny it's still cold out there."
About 4cm of snow fell in the village yesterday - well below the 20cm forecast.
Overall, this winter was a cold one.
"There's been more snow than the last few winters. Last year we hardly got any at all," Mrs Bohny said.
"It's all right if you don't have to travel. If you live up here it's great. If you have to use the road it's not so great."
The roads today were a bit wet, but on the last day of the school holidays there was a steady stream of traffic on State Highway 73.
Forecast
•Whangarei: A chance of a shower today and becoming fine tomorrow. Highs: 15C both days. Lows: 6C today, 8C tomorrow
•Auckland: Showers, southwesterlies today, becoming fine tomorrow. Highs: 14C today, 13C tomorrow. Lows: 6C today, 8C tomorrow
•Hamilton: Evening showers today, fine tomorrow. Cold overnight. Highs: 13C today, 12C tomorrow. Lows: 1C both days
•Tauranga: Mainly fine today, fine tomorrow. Highs: 14C both days. Lows: 3C today, 5C tomorrow
•Wellington: Showers with a strong southerly change today, showers tomorrow. Highs: 11C today, 12C tomorrow. Lows: 6C today, 8C tomorrow
•Christchurch: Showers today, fine tomorrow. Very cold nights. Highs: 10C today, 12C tomorrow. Lows: -3C today, -1C tomorrow
•Dunedin: Showers clear today, chance shower tomorrow. Highs: 9C today, 12C tomorrow. Lows: 5C both days
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