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A heavy rain warning has been issued for the Coromandel and Gisborne with risks of surface flooding after cold temperatures struck large parts of the country.

New Zealand awoke to chilly temperatures this morning as winter begins to rear its head, with some regions hit with overnight sub-zero chills.

This created a threat of icy roads - while other parts of the country had a cold shock following warmer weather.

Meanwhile, MetService confirmed the Coromandel Peninsula is expecting up to 120mm of rain from lunchtime today, while parts of northern Gisborne should expect the same from this evening.

A heavy rain warning has been issued for the Coromandel and Gisborne with risks of surface flooding. Photo / Mike Scott

Those living in Auckland will have noticed a particularly big drop in temperature last night, after the recent warm weather that’s followed generally miserable summer weather.

Whilst last night’s low was only 11C - which lines up with the month’s average - MetService’s Mmathapelo Makgabutlane noted the drop in temperature would feel much colder for residents given the city’s “temperate climate”.

Things have been a little more dramatic in the country’s south, Queenstown hit as low as -2.4C last night and neighbouring Wanaka -2C.

Snow in the Crown Range on Sunday. Photo / George Heard

It’s left a high risk of black ice across the Lakes’ District roading network, and fog around Alexandra and Cromwell is contributing to tough driving conditions for early commuters.

Crown Range Rd in particular has been hit with spots of black ice, according to Queenstown’s District Council.

The West Coast was also pretty chilly. Hokitika’s overnight low was 1.4C. Blenheim locals tried to keep warm last night as the low hit -0.7C and Marlborough was much the same,

Otago was, as usual in June, a cold place to be last night with Dunedin Airport measuring -2.6C and the Canterbury towns of Timaru and Ashburton recording 0.9C.

At this stage, MetService hasn’t learned of any further snowfall in the country overnight after the King’s Birthday cold front across the inland South Island.

Snow hit the Crown Range on Sunday after the weather forecaster predicted up to 10cm of white dusting to settle on the road near the summit.

The North Island’s central inland regions of Taupō and the central plateau were cold overnight, parts of the district only climbed to 2C last night and the city itself measured 9C - which is typical for June.

However, the island’s coastal districts - particularly those affected by Cyclone Gabrielle _ can expect a strong dump of rain in the next 48 hours according to NIWA, which forecasts one month’s worth of rainfall by the end of Tuesday in certain parts.

As of 11pm Tuesday, up to 200mm of rain is expected to have arrived in parts of the Coromandel and Hawkes Bay, increasing the likelihood of flooding and slips.

Further south we’re yet to learn if yesterday’s Cook Strait troubles will be repeated in scheduled ferry crossings between Wellington and Picton.

Yesterday’s poor weather conditions on the Strait and at Picton Port meant ferry operator Bluebridge cancelled two of its ferry crossings, at 1.30pm and 7.15pm.

The Feronia crossing was expected to resume at 2am from Wellington this morning.