The mercury will plummet to -2 degrees in Gunnedah on Friday as a cold front moves across the state, leaving residents feeling the wrath of a New England and North West winter.

Though Saturday is expected to be sunny and hit a top of 17 degrees, it will be a frosty start to the day with a low of -2 degrees overnight.

Don’t expect much respite from the cold snap as the mercury will again hit a low of -2 on Sunday. Frosts are forecast until at least next Wednesday.

But Gunnedah isn’t the only town feeling the cold snap across the region, as residents in Guyra, Glen Innes and Armidale were on snow watch on Wednesday.

It followed hail and heavy rain hitting parts of Tamworth and Duri in a freak storm late Tuesday night, with torrential rain and strong winds of up to 76km/h were recorded near Nundle and Niangala, and large hailstones scattered the district.