High humidity, cloudy skies and a strengthening wind across northern New Zealand can all be blamed on a sub-tropical low directly north of the country.

Aucklanders, who have enjoyed better sleeps from lower humidity, are back to muggy conditions today as an easterly breeze brings in moist air from the Pacific.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says it’s very hot in Auckland today.  “Humidity is on the rise across northern New Zealand with humidity around 70 to 80%.  That makes the ‘feels like’ temperature in Auckland more like 33 degrees today”.   The air temperature is 25.

Hot, humid, weather is also being felt in Northland, Waikato, Coromandel and Bay of Plenty where humidity levels are above 80%.

Meanwhile the east coast has the highest air temperatures today, with the mercury around 30 degrees in Gisborne, Napier, Hastings and Timaru.

Christchurch is much cooler today on 23 at noon.

The sub-tropical low is predicted to move well east of the country but will still affect our weekend weather.  Mr Duncan says it’ll probably feel like it’s going to rain, but most places in the north should miss out.  “Humidity will rise in the north to over 90%.  We’re in for a couple of hot, restless, nights.  But as far as rainfall goes our latest estimates are only for a few showers or drizzle patches”.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says a deep low east of the Chatham Islands next week may also make dangerous swells and rips along the nation’s east coast.  “It’s a reminder that even if it’s sunny and calm on the beach, conditions offshore can create dangerous seas.  Due to the active nature of lows this summer we ad advice people at all beaches around New Zealand to take extreme care and be aware of swell sizes and deadly rips”.