Good weather outlook for rest of year

Kiwis hoping for better weather until the end of the year could be in luck.

NIWA's three-month outlook signals warmer than normal temperatures and average rainfall from October to December.

The climate centre's report, which predicts variations in temperature, rainfall, soil moisture and river flows from normal levels, said those on the east of the North Island and at the top of the south Island were most likely to have above average temperatures during the period.

In other parts of the country, average or above average temperatures are likely, with only a 10 to 20 per cent chance of colder than normal temperatures predicted.

Rainfall from October to December was expected to be normal or above normal in the upper part of the North Island, with scientists predicting only a 20 per cent chance of falls below normal levels.

Gardeners will be pleased to know soil moisture levels are predicted to hold steady - with either normal or above normal levels most likely to occur in the top of the North Island.

Near normal soil levels were most likely elsewhere.

The report also said river flows in most of the country were most likely to be "near normal", apart from in the upper part of the North Island where they were most likely be either normal or above normal.