Aucklanders today endured one of their coldest days of 2008, with the temperature just managing to scrape to double figures.

Showery weather with some big downpours in the mix kept a lid on the mercury, with only 10 degrees being registered after lunch and in the wind, it certainly felt much colder.

Of the main centres, Hamilton hardly stood out but came in with 11 degrees alongside Wellington. 10 degrees was also all the Garden city could manage and Dunedin, once again felt the wintry air with just 7.

Nationally, temperatures were down overall with 20 centres staying in single figures, and Waiouru, Murchison and Queenstown recording the nations coolest high of 5 degrees.

Napier and the Bay of Islands were two locations where the temperatures remained near enough average for mid August, with the top maximum of 15 degrees.

Tonight, most of the country will experience a very cool night, with overnight lows varying from 8 degrees in the far north, down to minus 2 and minus 3 degrees in Wanaka, Queenstown and Alexandra, in amongst the snowy surrounds. It’s worth noting as well, that Nelson and Blenheim, should see the thermometer hit the freezing mark too.

Tomorrow, the southerly begins its hike north over eastern regions of the South Island with very cold air looking likely to lower the snow level over Dunedin , North Otago and the Canterbury Plains, therefore temperatures will struggle to get to much more than 5 or 6 degrees throughout much of Monday.

Whangarei and the Bay of Islands look as if they’ll top the polls temperature-wise tomorrow but it won’t be anything to write home about at this stage, as 14 degrees is all that is basically on offer.

It looks set to be a fresh start to get the working week underway across the country and the coldest areas continue to be in the south. Eastern parts of the mainland may also begin to feel the approach of that wintry mix as well.

KEEPING AN EYE ON THE SKIES WITH THE WEATHER STATS,  WEATHER ANALYST RICHARD GREEN