Weather: Freezing temperatures in much of the South Island

Canterbury's inland towns are being chilled by sub-zero temperatures after a freezing start to Wednesday morning. Photo / 123RF

It's the coldest morning of the year for parts of the South Island with temperatures plunging below zero in a number of places.

Mackenzie Country weather enthusiast Jordan Langley said he recorded temperatures in Fairlie of -9.7C at 6.15am on Wednesday.

Lake Tekapo was sitting on -8C and during the middle of Tuesday night Twizel saw as low as -7.5C and Omarama saw -8C, he said.

🥶 Feeling the cold? 🥶

A frosty morning across the South Island with single digit temperatures for almost all regions.

Central North Island areas are also feeling the freeze this morning with Taumarunui at -3.1°C.

Details at: https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^Ash pic.twitter.com/QmexpSBZm5

— MetService (@MetService) May 25, 2021

"It's definitely the coldest point of the year. Beforehand our coldest point was in late April with -7 in Twizel and this has definitely broken that mark."

At 6am, Omarama was the country's coldest spot with -7.3C, according to Metservice.

Twizel hit a low of -7 earlier on Wednesday morning and is not expected to reach temperatures above zero until 10am.

Langley said he's struggling to recall temperatures dipping this low at such an early stage.

Christchurch was sitting at -3C at 6am and Timaru on -6C at 7am.

Glentanner Park Centre at 7.30am on Wednesday morning. Photo / Snap It

It's a very different story in the North Island with Gisborne on 12C, Auckland 7C and Wellington 6.6C, at 7am.

"It's been very, very cold this morning especially in the Mackenzie Country and central Otago," Langley said.

"Absolutely staggering for May. There is no doubt it will be a mostly cold day today."

Motorists have been warned to watch for black ice while travelling on State Highway 8 between Fairlie and Omarama.