NIWA's National Climate Centre has just released its latest seasonal outlook.

* Temperatures are likely to be above average for the rest of winter and into early spring across much of the country. However, short-term cold snaps and frosty periods typical of winter will still occur.

* The equatorial Pacific is now in a neutral state, but is bordering on a La Niña. La Niña conditions are expected to develop fully by early spring.

* Normal or below normal rainfalls are likely in the North Island, with near-normal rainfalls expected over much of the South Island. The west and south of the South Island is likely to experience normal or above normal rainfalls.

* Soil moisture levels and stream flows are predicted to be normal or below normal in the north and east of the North Island, normal or above normal in the western South Island, and near normal in other regions.

* Mean sea level pressures are likely to be above normal over the North Island and to the north of the country, with stronger than average westerly wind flow over the South Island and south of the country, for July-September as a whole.