The hot and sticky tropical weather continues for the North Island with only a brief respite before the potential landfall of Tropical Cyclone Gita early next week. MetService New Zealand lead meteorologist Michael Martens said a tropical trough hovering over the North Island was behind the "incredibly humid conditions". A westerly change will bring dry air and a pleasant high for Thursday and Friday but the humidity returns as Tropical Cyclone Gita enters the Tasman Sea. Tropical Cyclone Gita is scheduled to pass south of New Caledonia on Saturday before travelling south into the Tasman Sea. The South Island is mostly fine today, except for a weak front hitting parts of the West Coast.

Source: Otago Daily Times February 12, 2018 20:15 UTC