Late autumn chills have set in for Otago and the lower South Island, with a further bite on the way.
file photo. Photo: 123rf
The region woke up this morning to the chilliest start in the year so far, with a temperature of just 0.2 degrees by 7.30am.
A front moving over the South Island had introduced a lot of cold air into the region, sinking the mercury lower, MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said.
"What that did is it brought in a lot of cold air behind it, and the sky was fairly clear overnight, so that served to further drop temperatures.
"And then with that we saw a cold morning in Otago, and generally over the lower South Island this morning."
Tomorrow was also expected to be a chilly start for the South Island, Makgabutlane said.
"We've got another cold front that moves across the South Island today, so another cold morning to be expected, and even some possible snowfalls overnight tonight into tomorrow morning down to about 600 metres."
The service issued a a strong wind watch for the Canterbury High Country for Monday. As well as a road snowfall warning for the higher parts of the Milford Road, in Fiordland, on Monday, and Porters Pass in Canterbury on Tuesday.
Temperatures for much of Otago and Southland were expected to stay in the lower teens throughout Monday.