Winter comes early in Rotorua

Mt Tarawera received a very light dusting of snow overnight. Photo/Andrew Warner

If you thought it was cold on the weekend you would have been right with light snowfall seen on Mt Tarawera and frost on the ground in and around the city.

According to MetService, Rotorua saw one of its first frosts of the year with the temperature dropping to -1C this morning with more chilly mornings on the way for the start of the week.

The cold blast and snow also closed the Desert Rd/State Highway 1 in the central North Island overnight Saturday, trapping drivers for a short time before a snow plough and other contractors were brought in to clear the road and allow trapped trucks and cars to get through.

The road was open again by this afternoon with Waiouru dropping to -6.5C overnight Saturday and Taupo experiencing a chilly -2.3C.

But, MetService warned drivers that with clear, cold nights ahead the highway would remain icy and dangerous to drive on overnight and in the morning.

"The biggest risk however is on Sunday night, by which time the skies should have cleared and the winds dropped," MetService said on Facebook.

"This is a classic recipe for frost and ice, which are possible as far north as Northland."

MetService meteorologist Brian Mercer said clear weather was on the way for most of the country as a ridge pushed on from the west, however the cold snap would continue into the week before Rotorua would see some rain and warmer temperatures by Thursday and Friday.

"Expect to see another frost, with temperatures going down to 0C or -1C overnight," he said.

"It will be a fine, clear night so you'll have a frost in the morning with a nice crisp clear autumn day.

"But from Wednesday afternoon and through to Thursday more cloud will appear so the temp will increase with rain and showers for the rest of the week."

But, the cold weather was a promising sight for skiers with snow falling on Mt Ruapehu as well as further south at Coronet Peak and on the Remarkables.

If all goes according to plan, Whakapapa ski field will open on June 10 and Turoa on July 1.