Welcome to the deep freeze — the first half of this week across the South is expected to be better suited to brass monkeys than people trying to get to work.
Last weekend, parts of North Otago and South Canterbury experienced their lowest temperatures this year.
MetService meteorologist Amy Rossiter said southwest winds were expected to continue throughout the week.
"In the long-term forecast it doesn’t look like it will turn until next weekend."
The weather patterns indicated thunderstorms, but they would likely be contained to the West Coast.
Across the region there would likely be heavy showers and snow in higher areas.
The MetService was predicting snow down to 200m in Dunedin today, meaning higher suburbs could turn white. Dunedin temperatures are expected to stay low today and tomorrow, before rising to 11degC on Wednesday. Streets were frozen across Otago on Saturday morning as temperatures plummeted.
Tekapo and Omarama shivered in their coldest temperatures of the year so far, with -8.1degC and -7.8degC respectively.
Otago lows included: Dunedin Airport -5degC, Queenstown -5degC, Oamaru -2degC, Alexandra -3degC and Wanaka 0degC.
Dunedin recorded a low of 1degC.
Ms Rossiter said low temperatures were caused by clear overnight skies, which cooled the ground.
This was paired with a very cold air mass which was crossing the country.Temperatures warmed along the South Island’s east coast yesterday.
"We’ve had northwest winds come over the ranges — warmer than the southwest," Ms Rossiter said.
The NZ Transport Agency yesterday issued snowfall warnings for the Haast and Lindis Passes, with snow expected last night and again tonight.
On the Crown Range, a further 4cm to 8cm was forecast to accumulate on the road above 700m last night and more is expected tonight.
