“For a beach town, it’s quite cold,” Rossiter laughed.
Most of the country is recording single-digit temperatures.
The overnight low for Rotorua was -1.1°C recorded at 6am. For Tauranga, 6.6°C at 8am.
Just after 8am, the hottest place to be in New Zealand was Lyall Bay, Wellington, which was recording 10.8C.
The chilly temperatures follow predictions that temperatures would plunge to below zero this week, as a high-pressure system hovers over the country today and tomorrow.
Sunny skies are forecast for Auckland to Waitomo - including Taumarunui, Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty and Taupō.
Those in Northland can also expect fine conditions, apart from isolated showers in the Far North due to clear this morning.
It is expected to be partly cloudy in Taranaki to the Kapiti Coast - including Taihape - with isolated showers about South Taranaki and Whanganui clearing this afternoon.
In Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa and Wellington, the weather is set to be showery about and north of the Wairoa District, but only cloudy periods and a few showers further south.
“Showers gradually clearing from the south this afternoon and evening,” MetService said.
Further south, fine weather is forecast in Nelson, Buller and Westland; and the same in Marlborough, Canterbury, Otago and Southland - although there will be some morning frosts in the latter areas.
