A mild spring looks to be on the way as a La Niña weather system takes hold in the Pacific Ocean.

Weather experts are predicting above average temperatures across most of the country in the coming months, while rainfall and the chance of a cold snap will be the same.

NIWA Principal Scientist Dr James Renwick says a La Niña pattern often brings warmer temperatures.

“All the boxes are being ticked in the tropics and what happens in New Zealand in La Niña is we tend to get more south-moving weather systems coming in from the north, resulting in higher temperatures.

"With that warmer air coming down from the north it brings a lot of moisture, so we can expect slightly wetter conditions in the north and east of the North Island."

Dr Renwick says the pattern could also mean a drier spring for the south

"Because parts of the south are sheltered essentially by the North Island, they could be in for a bit drier spring than normal, but around normal rainfall levels are expected across the board.”