Another frosty start as MetService warns of negative temperatures

Many places in the country will be waking up to freezing weather on Thursday, with MetService warning of double-digit negative temperatures in parts of the south.

Transpower says there could be another record demand for electricity as cold weather grips the country.

Mount Cook Village was forecast to drop to -10°C on Thursday morning, while Christchurch was expected to reach -5°C.

In the North Island, Hamilton and Taumarunui could see lows of -4°C and -6°C respectively.

MetService meteorologist Katie Lyons said widespread frosts were forecast.

"We've got a big ridge of high pressure which is giving a lot of clear skies, and that means cold temperatures, good cooling so people will be waking up to lots of frosts around the country," she said.

"Places like Auckland could be anywhere between -2°C all the way up to 4°C. The likes of Wellington it could be anywhere between 0°C and 4°C."

Transpower said there could be another record demand for electricity on Thursday, after the country's highest ever electricity use was recorded on Wednesday morning.

The power grid operator issued a notice to power companies advising there would be a potential shortfall of energy at peak times over the next couple of days.

Warnings were in place on Thursday and Friday between 7.30am and 8.30am.

Lyons said the cold snap was expected to end by the weekend.

"For most places into Friday that cold will continue," she said.

"The West Coast of the South Island will be the first to slowly see those temperatures rise into Friday, and then for the rest of the country on Saturday it will feel like more of a return to normal as we get the next frontal feature moving in from the Tasman with some northwesterly winds."