Winter finally hits as NSW, Vic and Tas shiver through the night

After being lulled into a false sense of security by a mild start to the season, the cold has finally hit with frosts seen across NSW, Tasmania, and Victoria this morning.

Sydney dropped down to 5.9 degrees overnight, with temperatures hitting 6.8 as most people woke to make their first morning coffee.

The apparent temperature was a different story at -0.9.

Camden shivered at -0.8 overnight, hitting 2.6 at 8am.

Maitland woke to 4.9 at 8am, while at Armidale it was -0.4 after hitting -4 overnight.

Orange was at -2.6 at 8am after shivering through -7 overnight.

Goulburn woke to -7.4 after hitting -9.6 overnight.

Dubbo woke to an even zero, while Albury hit -2 at 8am.

It was warmer in Albion Park at 8.7 at 8am.

Canberra woke to -4.6 degrees at 8am, after hitting -8 overnight.

In Victoria it was all about the sub-zero temperatures with Swan Hill waking to -3.6, and Horsham -0.4.

Melbourne woke to 0.7 degrees, Bendigo 0.4, while Bairnsdale got a warmer 1.8.

Launceston in Tasmania woke to -2 at 8:30am, while Hobart woke to 1.5 degrees.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a road weather alert for most of the state. See which roads are affected here.

In South Australia it was a warmer story with Kadina recording 5.9 degrees Celsius at 8am, Mount Gambier a cooler 3.8, Murray Bridge hit 6, Port Pirie hit 7.7, while Port Lincoln hit 8.8.

Coober Pedy hit 4.8 at 8am, while Adelaide recorded 7.5 at 7:30am.

In Western Australia it was positively summer in comparison, with Broome hitting 15.7 degrees at 6:30am, Karratha sat at 14.9, Mandurah similar at 14.2, Bunbury a cooler 9.4, Esperance hit 7.9, and Perth hit 9.7.

Darwin woke to a nice warm 20.2, with a top of 31 forecast.

Brisbane woke to 11 degrees, Georgetown was sitting a warm 21.3 at 8:30am, while Cairns woke to a summery 21.3.

Ayr woke to 20.2, while Emerald woke to a cooler 12.3, Blackall 10.3, and Mount Isa hit 15.

Birdsville hit 7.8 at 8:30am, and Bundaberg woke to 15.9.

Joel Pippard, a meteorologist with Weatherzone, said this weekend's freezing temperatures across NSW would spell the end to what was a mild winter. 

"A high-pressure system will dominate over the weekend," he said.

"Saturday and Sunday will be the coldest pair of mornings in two years. 

"Sydney can expect still winds and clear skies over the weekend, the perfect recipe for a cold morning." 

The NSW school holidays will be off to a wet start on Monday, with the Bureau of Meteorology expecting city and coastal areas to be affected by periods of patchy rain. 

Meanwhile, temperatures in Canberra will sink to a freezing -7 degrees on Saturday night, before climbing back to -4 degrees on Monday morning.