"June was really warm across the country, and August was unusually cold, so we've sort of had a winter of two halves temperature-wise," she said today.
"The end of July and August has been really cold over New Zealand, and people are kind of going, 'Oh it's been such a bad winter', but they're really thinking only the last half of it."
Winter had a slow start, with mild temperatures.
By late June, however, parts of the country were shuddering in -20C.
There were frequent frosts - twice as many as usual for parts of the South Island - and snow for most of the country too, Ms Griffiths said.
And the snow had stretched from June to late August, which has meant good news for winter sports enthusiasts.
"We've had quite a lot of higher elevation snow and even in August, so it's been a very solid, very good ski season," Ms Griffiths said.
Rainfall was mixed across the country this winter, she said.
Despite numerous cold blasts, the winter weather was less destructive than in previous years.
The Insurance Council said the cost of weather-related claims this year was $30.3 million - down from $59.1m last year, and $39.3m in 2013.
Forecasters today said spring was off too a typical, albeit wet, start.
Ms Griffiths said September was the "improving month", however, and temperatures should start to soon rise.
"We're actually thinking most of the rain for the month will actually happen this week, funnily enough, for all areas."
A course of overnight cloud could bring "post-frontal fog" and cause major air travel disruption.
"The airports are going to be a mess tomorrow morning, I'm guessing," Ms Griffiths said.
Showers and rain were expected for the main centres tomorrow, ahead of more bad weather.
WeatherWatch said a deep low was expected to cross the North Island this weekend, bringing more wind and rain - and as the low moved out to the east coast, it would dredge up a cold southerly for most of the nation.
The rain should ease for most by Sunday or Monday, though.
"It's not just one clear-cut weather system, there's two or three," said WeatherWatch head analyst Philip Duncan.
"After these systems go by we tend to get a cold blast of air. I wouldn't be surprised if we got a cold snap then back to the warmer and drier weather."
Tomorrow's forecast:
Whangarei: Cloudy periods, chance of showers. High 19C
Auckland: Occasional showers, more frequent in evening. High 18C
Hamilton: Showers turning to rain. High 17C
Tauranga: Fine spells, odd shower. Rain afternoon. High 17C
Wellington: Occasional showers, northerlies dying out. High 14C
Christchurch: Periods of rain, Southwesterlies developing. High 12C
(Source: MetService)