It’s certainly gone quiet over the past couple of days and today is shaping up to be similar as high air pressure over New Zealand makes the weather patterns sluggish.

High air pressure (anticyclones) – which makes for slow moving weather systems – is covering the country.  “A front trying to move through a High is like a person trying to run in a swimming pool…it’s slow and hard going and in the end it’s much easier to just give up” says head weather analyst Philip Duncan.  “There are a couple of fronts in the mix but nothing that will bring any severe conditions to the country tomorrow.  Fog will probably be the only news maker”. 

Cloud and drizzle are expected along the entire western seaboard as the weak fronts move in, with very little wind for most centres.

But rain clouds are beginning to build and by Thursday heavier rain bands could be moving into western and northern regions.  “With so much high pressure the weather systems are moving slowly… but Thursday and the weekend look wet for a number of regions, especially the far north and western regions”.

Mr Duncan is also suggesting people shouldn’t get lulled into a false sense of security.  “Just because conditions are quiet and milder at the moment it doesn’t mean winter has finished.  Quite possibly the worst is behind us but violent wintry storms are still likely into October”. 

And The Radio Network’s Weather Watch Centre is monitoring the next winter storm moving in towards the country.  “At this stage it looks as though next Monday might see a return to gales for central New Zealand, heavy rain on the West Coast and possibly a strong, cold, southerly flow for much of the nation by mid-week.  We’re watching the system closely and will keep you up to date”.