What the weather’s doing

Beach weather for most of the country except Wellington

Waitangi Day will be another cracker for most of New Zealand, but Wellington again misses out on any golden weather. Following a mainly warm and sunny weekend, most Kiwis can expect to enjoy another day of beach weather today.

MetService meteorologist Ciaran Doolin said a front was moving over New Zealand from the south today, but should only bring rain to the West Coast and wind to Wellington.

“There won’t be too much of an effect on the North Island, maybe some drizzle towards the evening and night for the lower North Island. But for the most part it won’t affect the North Island,” he said.

He said strong winds will arrive in Wellington later in the day. The capital will have a “fairly cloudy day on the whole” with drizzle towards the evening.

Waitangi and the Bay of Islands will enjoy a beautifully sunny day with light winds, while further south Auckland will receive warm and mostly sunny weather, Doolin said.

Hamilton will begin Waitangi Day will low cloud and fog before a warm and fine afternoon. Tauranga will have a stunning day with gentle sea breezes.

Christchurch will be sunny and hot, with a northwesterly bringing “nice, warm dry air”, Doolin said.

Parts of Otago may be plagued by potentially heavy rainfall during the evening, which may arrive to areas south of Christchurch closer to midnight, he said.

Yesterday’s sizzling weather sent people to the coast, and in the case of many Aucklanders, to Waiheke Island. But so many decided to go that they had to wait for a ride across the Waitemata.

Queues stretched from Auckland’s ferry terminal right around the Ferry Basin to the Hilton Hotel at about 11am.