Forecasters say a week of bad weather doesn't mean predictions of a warm winter were wrong.
It's still been New Zealand's hottest six months in recorded history says NIWA principal scientist Chris Brandolino, despite snow and ice shutting roads across the country over the last few days.
In June, Mr Brandolino and NIWA said winter would be "warmer than usual for all, wetter than usual for some", and that still holds.
"If I say your marriage will be awesome for the next few months, it doesn't mean you won't get into an argument with your wife," Mr Brandolino told Paul Henry on Monday morning.
"We're talking big picture. This is winter."
This evening a front rolls in from the southwest.
"With that front you'll find wind and rain, and that could impact the Auckland area between six and seven o'clock, a little bit earlier in the Waikato."
After some respite on Tuesday it's business as usual for winter from Wednesday, with downpours expected in the east of the country - including hopefully rain-starved parts of Canterbury.
"They'll get some," says Mr Brandolino. "It's really up in the air when exactly it happens or where it falls."
But it's unlikely to be enough, and dry Wairarapa will probably miss out altogether.
"If you run a business and for months and months and months your profits are below average, you're going to need sustained periods of average profits or above average profits. That's where we're at."
As winter winds up at the end of the month, spring's expected to come a little early - and farmers will probably need to get the sprinklers out before they expect to.
Newshub.
