Despite a "sharper and earlier-than-normal dive in to the chilly season", MetService is predicting the coolest time of the year is likely to be mid-July to early August, as normal.
In its seasonal outlook for June and July, MetService indicated the "dive" was starting to level out.
While the country was in neutral territory, between a La Nina and an El Nino, the weather pattern could be expected to change every week or two, the seasonal forecast team said.
Generally, the main pattern this winter was expected to consist of broad troughs of low pressure moving across New Zealand, interspersed with anticyclones.
"These winter anticyclones are expected to bring periods of light winds, dry weather with misty or foggy mornings, and more frosts than normal, especially in the South Island and central North Island."
The troughs were expected to be followed by south or southwest winds, bringing a few cold spells that were typical of winter, with some decent snow for the mountains and occasionally lower.
Coastal Otago was to expect normal rainfall, with possibly a few cold snaps with south or southwesterly winds, bringing snow to low levels, the team said.
"Between the fronts, there should be several days with settled weather and light winds."
In Central Otago and the Southern Lakes, troughs and fronts arriving from the Tasman Sea were expected to vary in intensity and duration, but should bring normal amounts of regional rainfall and further snow to the mountains.
Between these fronts, there are likely to be several days of settled weather with more frosts than normal.
