Weather: Cooler temperatures in North Island than South Island

This morning was a frigid start for much of the North Island, with some temperatures colder than in the South Island.

The Central North Island was the coldest overnight with Waiouru dropping to -2.8C, Dessert Rd -1.1C and Tongariro -1C.

But at 6am on Friday Auckland sat at 6.7C, Wellington was 13.4C, Christchurch was 9.6C. – while Invercargill basked in a balmy 14.8C.

MetService meteorologist Ashlee Parkes said that due to a front moving up the south, there was high cloud covering the South Island which kept the heat in.

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“There were clear skies throughout the North which produced the cooler temperatures,” she said.

Heavy fog was rolling around Auckland city on Friday morning, cancelling some flights and delaying ferries.

For the rest of Friday it will be mainly fine for the country with temperatures reaching 17C in Auckland and Christchurch and Wellington will be 16C.

As an active front moves up the South Island a yellow wind watch is in place for Canterbury and an orange wind warning for the Banks Peninsula with severe gusts potentially reaching 120kmh.

A thunderstorm watch is in place for the West Coast of the South Island and Parkes said rain can be expected.

Parkes said the weekend will be mainly fine for the country until Sunday afternoon as a front moves up from the Tasman and rain could be expected in the North Island.