By head weather analyst Philip Duncan.

It’s been a wet and very humid morning for northern New Zealand as a stream of low cloud produced rain over much of Auckland and parts of Northland and Waikato. 

The heat is returning to eastern areas with Gisborne already on 28 and 24 across eastern Coromandel.

In Auckland it’s still very humid with showers but I think in the next hour or two the sun is going to start to break through.  It’s currently around 22 in Auckland but if the sun comes out for a solid hour or two the temperature is likely to jump into the mid 20s…coupled with high humidity it may well feel like the mid 30s.

In the South Island it’s quite a different story with a cooler breeze over Southland and parts of Central Otago.  It’s quite patchy, with 15 in Invercargill, 18 in Gore, 21 in Lumsden, 11 in Wanaka, 17 in Queenstown and 23 in Dunedin.  Further north a hot northerly has bumped Christchurch to 26 already.

Earlier blog

The day after New Year’s Day should be another one to sleep in and enjoy not having to go to work…for most anyway.   While I’m still working for the Weather Watch Centre this long weekend my hours are a little more flexible…but I was planning on writing a little later in the morning – and not posting at 6:30am! 

But I, and I’m assuming many others in the North Island, had a pretty bad sleep thanks to the heat, humidity and lack of wind last night!

As I type this it’s 20 degrees in Auckland with humidity around 90%.  Using the humidex calculator that means the ‘feels like’ temperature is 28 degrees.  There isn’t a breath of wind so the fan is working overtime at the moment! 

Yesterday a number of people posted their temperature readings to weatherwatch.co.nz.  Most recorded temperatures around 30 or 31 degrees in Auckland and Northland.  When you factor in humidity (of about 50 to 60%) the humidex reading comes to about 38 degrees.  No wonder it felt hot!

On the rain radar there are a number of drizzle patches and some light showers over northern New Zealand…roughly from about Auckland to Northland drifting down the west coast.  They should burn off as the day progresses but the risk for an isolated afternoon or evening shower does remain.

We’re about to head into another day or so of unsettled weather.  After yesterday’s stunning kick off to 2009 today we’ll see that high air pressure moving off the coast of East Cape.  There is another high in the Tasman Sea heading our way but starting today in the south and heading in to the north tomorrow will be 24 to 36 hours of lower air pressure.  A number of weak fronts will move up the country bringing rain or showers, mainly to those in the west.

Eastern holiday spots should remain mostly dry and hot but a spit of rain is possible.   A brief cold snap is also likely in Southland, coastal Otago and coastal Canterbury.  Highs may drop to the mid teens today or tomorrow.

Today’s going to be another hot one for most in the North Island though – and more humid than yesterday.

Winds will pick up a little too…so even though tonight looks set to be another hot one a welcome breeze may help you sleep a little easier!

Did the heat affect your sleep last night?  And are you happy with the summer weather so far?   Share your thoughts and post a comment below!