Cold start to winter not set to last, says MetService

Polar-charged winds that sent temperatures plummeting this month do not mean winter will remain colder than usual, the MetService says.

Such sustained cold was extremely rare, MetService weather forecaster Bob McDavitt said.

"A cold start to winter does not mean it will be colder than normal all winter," he said.

"Sea temperature trends in the Pacific Ocean are showing that we are not expecting El Nino or La Nina conditions to prevail during winter or into spring, so there is no reason to expect the rare weather pattern of mid-June to dominate July or August."

The polar blast was the first time New Zealand had been hit with such fury this decade, compared with two notable examples in the 1990s.

MetService was forecasting settled weather this weekend but more unsettled weather next week.

- NZPA