It's been a chilly start to the day for many parts of the country

Aucklanders are experiencing the coldest morning of the year, with temperatures dropping below zero in some parts of the region.

The coldest conditions were not surprisingly, in the South Island, near Nelson Lakes, which plummeted to minus 7.

MetService Meteorologist Andy Best says the frosty weather is usual for this time of year.

He says July is one of the coldest months of the year, so we should expect this to continue, particularly under clear blue skies and no winds.