Weather: Temperatures reach as low as -6C as winter looms

It has been another freezing start to the day for most of the country, and one South Island town recording -6C this morning. Photo / 123RF

It has been another freezing start to the day for most of the country - and one town in the South Island recorded -6C this morning.

Twizel was the coldest spot in the country at 7am, according to Mackenzie Country Weather NZ, followed by Lake Tekapo with -2C and Fairlie and Mount Cook, both with -1C.

The forecaster is warning people to drive to the conditions from Twizel to Burke's Pass this morning and watch for the possibility of any ice especially in shady areas.

It is not just the South Island that has felt the cold this morning.

Hamilton was 1.6C at 7am, Rotorua 4.3C, Auckland 8.2C and Wellington 6C, according to Metservice.

Kei te makariri rawa! 🥶 It's cold as! I spy a frosty 0°C in Ōtautahi (Christchurch).

Lucky it looks like plenty of warm ☀ ahead - mint Sunday weather all round 😎https://t.co/WmuNA9DXoJ ^Tahlia pic.twitter.com/wjEdUisn27

— MetService (@MetService) May 1, 2021

The Mackenzie District experienced its coldest temperatures of the year last Wednesday, when Twizel reached a freezing -7C and Lake Tekapo and Burkes Pass hit -5C.

Mackenzie Country Weather NZ forecaster Jordan Langley said they were seeing temperatures more associated with mid-winter, around June, July and August.

Langley said it was hard to predict what this winter would be like.

"With what we are seeing so far, who knows what this winter might bring. It could definitely be a cold one."

Temperatures are expected to pick up throughout the day, and Twizel is forecast to reach 17C.

Hamilton, Rotorua and Auckland are also expected to reach 17C, and Wellington 16C.