While winter officially starts next Wednesday, and there have already been some frosts further inland, tomorrow is expected to bring coastal Otago and Southland’s first frosts of the year.
MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said the forecast was for morning frosts in Oamaru tomorrow, Friday and Saturday; in Dunedin on Friday; and in Invercargill tomorrow and on Friday.
"It does look like Thursday and Friday overnight, we should start to see what looks like the first frosts for coastal Otago and Southland."
Mr McInnes said the southwesterlies that were now over the region would start to push away later today and a high pressure system would move over the country, bringing clearer skies.
"The combination of both those things means the cold air from the southwesterlies hangs around when the high comes over, so it really allows things to cool down along the coast, and even more so inland."
At the weekend, the high would be centered more towards the northeast of the country, bringing a warmer start to next week for the South, he said.
