Bay of Plenty residents are being urged to prepare for more frosty mornings this week after parts of the central North Island recorded some of the coldest temperatures of the year.

Rotorua plunged to -3.9C on Monday morning, while nearby Taupō dropped to a bitter -5.6C as clear skies and calm winds allowed temperatures to tumble overnight.

In a media release, MetService meteorologist Devlin Lynden said the chilly conditions were being driven by settled weather across much of the country.

“The cold start is being driven by clear skies and light winds. With calm, clear nights, heat escapes easily into the atmosphere, allowing temperatures to plummet before sunrise. Sheltered inland valleys become even frostier as cold air settles into low-lying areas.”

The Bay of Plenty can expect another cold and frosty start on Tuesday, particularly in inland areas such as Rotorua and parts of the wider region prone to frost.

While coastal centres such as Tauranga are likely to remain milder, overnight temperatures across the region are expected to stay low through the first half of the week under mostly clear skies.

The cold snap comes as many North Island locations recorded their lowest temperatures of the year so far on Monday. Hamilton fell to -2.8C, New Plymouth reached 0C and Wellington dropped to 1.7C.

Conditions are forecast to gradually ease later in the week as northerly winds develop and overnight temperatures become less severe.

However, the change will be short-lived.

A front is expected to move on to the country from Thursday, bringing rain to the South Island before showers spread further north. Behind the front, cooler southwesterly winds are forecast to return, bringing another drop in temperatures.

The colder air could also bring snow to South Island skifields and alpine passes.

For Bay of Plenty residents, that means keeping the winter woollies handy a little longer, with frosty mornings likely to remain a feature of the region’s weather through at least midweek.