Jack Frost lets his presence be felt | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

Yes, if you thought there was more of a bite in the air this morning rather than a nip then you were right.

After a May month of mild mornings, Hawke's Bay felt the first frosty fingers of winter today with early-risers heading for the hot water tap to fill a bucket to clear off iced-up car windows.

Napier recorded an overnight air minimum of 0.7deg and a grass minimum of -0.2deg.

But Hastings folks really got the best (or worst) of the first substantial frost of the year with a -1deg air temperature and a -5deg grass minimum.

However, MetService said the timing for the first frost was about right, despite the lingering Indian summer, although June and July were likely to be like May, and be slightly above average temperature-wise.

Despite the chill, Hawke's Bay folks can take solace in the fact that while the start of winter is three days away, daytime temperatures of 16 and 17deg and sunshine are forecast through until Saturday, with 20deg reckoned on today.

Compare that to several locations in the northern hemisphere today which are three days away from the first day of summer.

London - 13deg and rain; Cardiff - 10deg and rain; Paris - 18deg and showers; Edinburgh (or should that be Edinbrrrrrr) - 12deg and rain.

Last year at this time, Hawke's Bay was being sprinkled with southerly-driven cold rain - with temperatures of 13 and 14deg dominating the week.