New Zealand temperatures turned a corner in July, with the abnormal warmth of the first half of the year now a distant memory.

'A cooler than usual August is expected for much of the country,” says MetService meteorologist Georgina Griffiths.

The MetService is predicting August to be cooler than the last couple of months.

'Well below average August temperatures are signalled across the South Island, and August looks likely to run a touch cooler over the lower half of the North Island, too.”

For Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo and Bay of Plenty, near average August temperatures are forecast. A combination of southeast winds to start the month, and then high pressure, spells cold weather.

In addition, sea temperatures around New Zealand have now eased back towards normal, meaning the warming effect of the sea that was seen across the first half of the year is gone.

This is the first month in 2016 that computer models have predicted below average monthly temperatures for any region in New Zealand, and includes potential for snow to low levels.

'This forecast bodes well for the ski fields,” says Georgina.

'But travellers should keep up to date with the forecast later this week, in particular checking the road snow warnings.

'August also looks reasonably unsettled and wet, overall, for most of the country. Bad news for bored kids or getting that washing dry.”

While not every day in the month looks wet, August precipitation totals are forecast to be near normal to above normal for all regions of the North Island, and also for the north and east of the South Island (Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury and Otago).

In contrast, the west and south of the South Island should end up with closer to normal totals, noting that the first half of the month runs relatively dry in these regions.