Updated 8:45am — Thick fog has again disrupted flights at Auckland Airport along with Hamilton, Christchurch and Dunedin airports this morning.  Airport websites in Auckland, Hamilton and Christchurch are all reporting flights cancelled or delayed due to fog with around 30 affected in Auckland alone.  Christchurch Airport’s website said earlier that fog had delayed a flight from Dunedin too.

Many airports around New Zealand will be affected by Auckland’s backlog.

In some parts of Waikato and South Auckland the fog has lingered for 36 hours.

As for the million dollar question – when will it clear?   WeatherWatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan says it’s all down to the wind.  “We need the breeze to move in and and clear this fog away – it failed to arrived yesterday in any widespread way across Auckland and Waikato which is why some areas never saw the fog lift”.

As of 8:45am light winds were being reported – a good sign for clearing fog.

Aucklanders seem mixed about the fog this morning with some reporting it is thicker today where they are compared to yesterday – while others say it’s much less.

Mr Duncan says the most recent forecast guidance data suggests the fog could linger again today in some inland areas but should clear from the airports this morning.

“It’s frustrating not being able to give an exact time, forecasters all around the globe battle with fog predictions – it is a very delicate balance as to when it forms and when it clears”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz said at noon yesterday that fog was likely to return to Auckland in the afternoon and linger until Friday morning.  The weather news authority says a south east breeze is predicted to move in but that Waikato and Auckland were currently being sheltered from this breeze.

It’s not all doom and gloom, many flights are still operating as scheduled – please contact your airline or airport website directly for flight schedules.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz