that's the weather, for now

29th February

National
Our weather's a bit like a roller-coaster ride; ups and downs as weather systems ease their way through.

It might be one of those nights where the old rubbish bags go down the road [arms to the side - see pic].

The stronger the winds, the bigger the arrows, the more colourful they are, so these pink - almost like a school of salmon.

This low, it's not just going, fyiiing, straight through.

Wellington
You can see the size of these wind arrows, like salmon swimming past in the course of the season.

28th February

National
Unstable air:
It's like taking a pot, you put it onto a hot burner on the stove [gestures doing so] and, vmmm [ignition gesture - see pic], the bubbles do boil up.

27th February

National
Many of these southern spots are in good shape because of our ridge of high pressure just sort of sitting there saying 'na-ah'.

We go through the next couple of days and it's a bit like a bit of a weather sandwich.

As we go through the week, yes, you'll probably want to dig out that umbrella, that raincoat, they will come in handy.

Christchurch
This little chappie here [points to the low] look at him, he's just sort of creeping into the picture saying, 'ha ha, I'm coming back.'

Wellington
Instead of waking up in the morning, pull back the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so] and go [gasps - see pic] 'ah, wow! Nice day', there might be a bit more cloud.

24th February

National
Step out in the morning, say, in Auckland, Paihia, you're gonna go 'ahhh, feels better.'

You almost think of a high as a big bubble; you pump it with air [gestures doing so], it builds in and it keeps all the other weather systems away.

Little dangly weather front to the far south and you say, 'ah, he's not much.'

With the high building in and saying, 'haha, I'm here,' you should have a decent-looking Sunday. That's the weather for now [point], more at MetService-[nod]-dot-com.

Auckland
Saturday morning, step to the outside, you're gonna go [takes deep breath in, exhales], what a different feel.

The high just sort of nestles his way in and says, 'ha ha, I'm here. I'm going to stay for a couple of days.'

Wellington
That fairly active weather system has certainly made itself known over the past couple of days, probably banging the window panes, taking the rubbish bags and throwing them down the road.

Whenever we sort of open up the isobars like an accordion [see pic] that means things will be quietening down.

Bay of Plenty Times
It seems they're waving goodbye to summer in New Zealand. Dan explains the shifting seasons:

"Over the next few weeks, it's not going to be like someone has flicked a switch and bang, it's going to be cold," he said.

Darker mornings are due to the tilt of the earth on its axis.

"It causes different parts of the planet to experience different amounts of sunshine per day," Mr Corbett said.

He gave this analogy: Think of a science teacher shining a torch on a titled globe of the world.

"The area closer to the flashlight stays brighter longer than the places at the bottom of the globe," he said.

Brilliant.

23rd February

Severe Weather Update
The low:
Think of it like a lawnmower; you pull the string [gestures doing so] and, jiiing! Off it goes.

Notice how some of the cloud here is just lumpy, like lumps of porridge.

National
A fairly intense low that has been moving across New Zealand. You almost think of it like you have a lawnmower in the garden, you pull the string [gestures doing so] and, vyunnng, off it goes.

Some of these lumps, almost like lumps of porridge thrown at the weather map, those are some of the heavier, more convective showers working in, so a fair bit of moisture and some good oomph, almost like having a sponge and you go chhh, chhh, chhh [wringing gesture - see pic].

Perhaps not as humid as it has been. You've been like that [swimming gesture] over the past few days in Auckland.

Auckland
You're probably sick of the humidity by now. You've been outside in the mornings and gone like that [swimming gesture - see pic] and the air sort of moves.

The cloud:
Notice how it's rather lumpy, almost like bits of porridge on the weather map.

The low:
Really winding up, like you pull the lawnmower string [gestures doing so] and, shiiing! Off it goes. Neeeow [makes spinning gesture with finger].

See some of those blues there, some of those heavier ones here, you might be out-and-about and all of a sudden, chhh [plunges hands downwards as if playing a chord on a piano - perhaps trying to suggest rain?].

Think of the front like a ski slope; you take all the moisture and go, shooom [lifting-up gesture], it bubbles up the cloud.

You won't be sort of, ugh [pulls face] as you step to the outside.

Christchurch
Notice how it starts to curl and wind itself up, almost like pulling a lawnmower and, vmmm [gestures pulling lawnmower string], off the string goes.

Wellington
It's been one of those days with the strong winds where you walk out in the morning and probably the dustbin and perhaps the bags of rubbish have been halfway down the road.

The low:
Think of it like taking a lawnmower, you pull the string [gestures doing so], hwiiing! Off it goes [makes spinning gesture with finger], it winds up ... and that little curl there is the centre of the low, like our lawnmower string [lawnmower string gesture again], shiiing! Off it goes.

The low:
You can see, it's almost like a dartboard of sorts.

22nd February

Severe Weather Update
The low winds up like you pull a lawnmower string [gestures doing so - see pic], jinnng! Off it goes.

National
It's like we've gone mad with the orange and blue crayon [scribbling gesture].

Wellington
The wet-weather gear is certainly gonna come in handy over the next couple of days. You might even want to hold onto your hats as well [touches head].

The low:
It's just gonna be like you pull a lawnmower string [gestures doing so, with accompanying sound effect] and off it goes.

Risk of strong winds:
When you see the wind arrows and they look bigger, it looks like the fish are sort of swimming around [see pic].

Watch on MetService TV.

21st February

National
Heavy rain:
So already you've probably dug out the umbrella [gestures doing so].

Very warm, humid. You go out in the morning, you're almost like this [swimming gesture].

You think we're done with the rain, but no. The low is almost doing some back-somersaults of sorts and it looks like a three-legged octopus just flailing around [see pic].

Auckland
You look at the cloud and you say, 'my gosh, you've really gone mad with the old white paint [painting gesture] during the course of the night, Dan.'

Here's how we start the morning, it's almost like we've got a bit of soup in the way [waves arms over the map as if trying to clear the cloud].

It wouldn't be one of those days where you say, 'right, when are we going for the picnic?' [looks at watch].

The main weather system:
It looks like a bit of a three-legged octopus.

Christchurch
You think that's the weather system and you go, 'hmm, interesting.' [see pic]

Wellington
It's almost like you need a scorecard [scorecard gesture] say, 'that's the first bit [ticks], that's the second bit [ticks]'

A soggy day, not a day for the picnic by any means.

Notice that main lump of rain, it's like I've gone mad with a blue crayon.

20th February

National
You'll almost want a scorecard to keep an eye on this weather system [scorecard gesture] as different pieces of it come in.

You look off to the west and you see all this cloud and it's just like lumps of white being thrown at the weather map [throwing gesture].

We'll have that warm, humid air and you'll be like this [swimming gesture] with the air just rather, ugh, sticky.

Like you've gone mad with the blue crayon, those are some of the heavy downpours.

Auckland
Warm air, which you could almost go like that [wringing gesture] and squeeze out some moisture.

Wednesday won't be the picnic day. If anything, certainly the wet-weather gear.

Wellington
The umbrella [gestures holding it - see pic], just stick it in the bag [brolly-in-bag gesture], keep it there, it'll certainly come in handy. That's the weather for now [point], more at metservice-[nod]-dot-com.

17th February

National
To mark Bob McDavitt's retirement, Dan co-presented with Bob.
The big white cloud, it's like taking a pot, you stick it on the stove [gestures doing so] and put it on high, the gas [gestures turning gas on]; brrfff! [ignition gesture from Dan and then from Bob - see pic]

A weather front:
Almost like having a neon sign, it's glowing mad [?], you pull the plug on it [gestures doing so], vvv, it goes out.

Auckland
Showers:
They won't be these big, brrr [raises hands up and down - see pic] sort of things.

Risk of showers:
But not these big mean nasty ones [raises one hand].

Christchurch
A thinning-out weather front:
Like we just sort of pull it [gestures doing so] like a piece of blue plasticine.

Watch these while you can (particularly that Auckland one) on MetService TV.

16th February

National
How about the next couple of days? We've had enough of this troublesome low haven't we? It's finally getting the hint.

Auckland
Think of a hoover, you put it over the water, it sucks up [see pic] and that was our waterspout there.

Christchurch
In the morning, open up the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so], could be a grey start.

Wellington
Some of the wind arrows on the map are green:
Notice the winds, like little green fish swimming about.

Watch on MetService TV.

Radio New Zealand
Dan was talking about waterspouts on Morning Report:

Low level buoyancy:
Think of it like bouncing a ball.

Think of having a hoover, you suck up the water.

Listen here.

TVNZ
There was also a brief glimpse of Dan on TVNZ's Breakfast, holding a cake during a segment about Bob McDavitt's retirement, 3m 30s in.

15th February

National
A stubborn-looking low is still with us, still making some of us certainly grab the umbrella [two-handed umbrella gesture] over the course of the next couple of days.

Bits and pieces of weather fronts draped on the weather map, almost like bits and pieces of spaghetti of sorts.

How about the next couple of days? Have we finally given this low the kick out the back door [looks down - perhaps he kicks] or is it still there?

Auckland
Warm humid air riding over rather a slow-moving weather front. Think of it like taking a sponge and just squeeze out the moisture [gestures doing so].

Quite a slow-moving low. It's almost like we've taken a pin and we've just sort of gone [gestures pinning the low to the map - see pic - plus accompanying sound effect], like that.

14th February

Wow. Dan was on fire today:

National
You look at the mass of cloud and it looks rather messy. It's almost like you take some lumps of white paint and keep going like that [throwing gesture] at the weather map.

It's that warm humid feed coming in ahead of the main weather front that will really bring in the moisture. Imagine taking a sponge and just sit in a bucket for a couple of hours, it's got all that moisture and then, chhh [wringing gesture - see pic], squeeze it out.

Think of a front like a ski slope; it just lifts it all up [raises arms], squeezes it out [wringing gesture].

The low is sitting there, he doesn't want to move, he's taking his time, it's almost like dragging a couple of cement blocks behind him [looks down at feet].

It might even be a soggy day with the umbrella [two-handed umbrella gesture].

Then the heat of the day, the showers VHUM [ignition gesture] bubble themselves up.

The low:
He's still there. It's almost like you've taken a bit of glue [glueing gesture] and just sort of stick it on the low, it doesn't move.

Auckland
Got plans for the next couple of days? Grab the umbrella, stick it in the bag [gestures doing so], it will certainly come in handy.

Maybe you've been out over the past day or so and gone, urgh [humid 'swimming' gesture], like that. It's that humid feel, it's like having a sponge loaded with water, squeeze it out [gestures doing so] and that's that warm humid air.

We drag in the weather front, think of that like a ski slope and taking all the moisture and going VHUM [lifting gesture] bubbling it up.

It's like we've almost taken a bit of glue and we stick it on the low [gestures doing so], ppt [sticks it on the map], leave it there.

That brolly in the bag [brolly-in-bag gesture] will certainly come in handy.

Christchurch
Nothing to brag about temperature-wise; you'll head to the outside and go, 'uuurgh, gosh.'

Wellington
You're planning for a picnic? Looks like the picnic basket will sit in the back of the cupboard [gestures moving it aside] over the next couple of days.

Some humid air:
Almost like filling up a sponge with water, you squeeze it out [gestures doing so].

The low, he's a stubborn fellow; instead of just sort of clearing through rather nicely, it's like we've sort of taken some glue and you stick it on the back of the low, notice how it doesn't really want to move.

13th February

National
Notice the bigger lumps, almost like lumps of porridge being thrown at the weather map.

This thing, it's almost like a two-legged octopus of sorts.

Not a picnic day in Westport.

These weather fronts coming in, think of them like ski slopes, they grab the air and go, fmmm [a kind of lifting-up gesture - see pic], like that.

Auckland
Then we bring in the next weather system, it almost looks like a bit of a two-legged octopus of sorts.

Christchurch
So what does it look like in the morning? Pull back the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so, pulls face], you'll probably go 'uuurgh' [pulls another face] like that.

Wellington
Notice how the cloud is rather lumpy. It's almost like having some porridge on the stove and you boil it and it just gets [makes 'boiling porridge' sound effect] the bits coming up.

Watch for yourself on MetService TV.

10th February

National
Some of us in fact might even grab an extra jumper or two.

Tropical Storm Jasmine:
It's slowly moving into the cooler waters, so it's almost like having a piece of cheese and you nibble at the edges [see pic], notice how it's just being nibbled a little bit there.

Perhaps seeing a slightly improved swell ... from this storm, like sitting in a bathtub going like that [gestures hitting water] and the radiating waves [expanding gesture].

An area of cloud:
It's just like a little pig's tail of sorts.

A little weather front:
It's not a big thing, it's not like going brrr [gestures its movement across NZ] like that.

The high builds in and notice it's like you pump a balloon, you pump it up with air, pfff [expanding gesture - see pic] and there it goes.

Wellington
You've got big plans for the weekend, maybe the neighbours are coming round for a barbecue.

You're thinking, of the two days, Saturday, Sunday, Saturday, Sunday [see pic]; Sunday might be the drier, brighter-looking day because ahhh, look at this, high pressure. Like you pump a balloon up and it just goes vvv [expanding gesture].

Watch 'em while you can on MetService TV.

9th February

National
Tropical Storm Jasmine:
You look at it and you say, 'rather impressive!' You can see it just doing its own thing, almost like you pull the string on a lawnmower [gestures doing so] and it just goes, vvvng, off it goes.

What we might just see is a little bit of a [sea] swell, almost like going like that [hitting gesture - see pic] in the bathtub.

That ridge of high pressure, that's sitting there and he's just sort of hanging on saying, 'I just wanna hang out for another day or so,' and he's trying to.

A weather system:
Almost like taking a piece of plasticine, you stretch it out [gestures doing so].

Look at the overnight temperature; you might be tempted to grab a blanket.

Auckland
We've had some fine-looking weather for the beach or the picnic over the past couple of days.

8th February

After a short break, Dan's back!

National
Our weather front, it really just becomes a bit elongated. It's like having a big blue piece of Plasticine; you pull it apart [gestures doing so] and notice how much of the energy is down there.

Auckland
A weather front:
We stretch it out like a piece of blue Plasticine [gestures doing so].

Christchurch
That stubborn cloud with the onshore flow is a bit like an unwanted house guest; you come and he's still sitting there three days later.

Wellington
It's like you have a piece of blue Plasticine; you stretch it [gestures doing so], gets thinner and thinner.

Watch for yourself at MetService TV.

3rd February

National
All of the milky cloud, like somebody's just sort of tipped some white paint on the weather map [gestures doing so], that has been here so we have maybe over the past couple of mornings opened up the bedroom curtains and gone [pulls face] 'uuurgh.'

These dingly little weather fronts of sorts, they're just there. They're not doing much. This chappie's saying, 'I've had enough, I'm going away' and he doesn't really do.

We've put some glue on the back of the high and said, 'stay there,' and he will.

Auckland
All of this milky-looking colour here, this is some lower cloud. It's almost like we've just been there like that [paint-roller gesture] with a roller over the past day or so.

The high sits down to the south-east so it's almost like you hit the pause button on the weather [gestures doing so].

Christchurch
Wake up in the morning, pull back the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so] it will be a grey start.

Over the next couple of days, it's like we've said to the high, 'just park and don't move.' [see pic]

Wellington
Our ridge of high pressure, it's sitting down here, and we almost like put the pause on it [gestures doing so - see pic] and say, 'stay there,' and he doesn't move.

A decent-looking weekend for us, plan the outdoor plans. That's the weather for now [point], more at metservice-dot-com [possible nod, hard to say as he faded out before he finished speaking].

2nd February

National
We're finally getting rid of this weather front. It's had all its wind, all its rain, it's almost like you pull the plug from it [gestures doing so] and it's just a left over lump of cloud.

Our ridge of high pressure, it's sitting here and it's just gonna more-or-less shift into park and sit for a couple of days.

Auckland
See all the little dangly weather fronts, almost like tentacles on an octopus of sorts.

Don't be surprised as we start off the morning, you might pull back the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so] and it might be a grey start to the day.

Christchurch
All this stuff here, like we've just gone like that [paint roller gesture] with a big white roller and just painted it on.

The high, it's not gonna move, he's just shifted into park and he's gonna say, 'yeah, I'm fine,' he grabs a cup of coffee and hangs about.

Watch 'em while you can on MetService TV.

1st February

National
Quite a mass of cloud ... almost like we've taken some lumps of white paint and gone [throwing gesture] brmmm, like that at the weather map.

Let's get this system through. You can see it, it's just like bits of spaghetti thrown at the weather map, there are the different fronts. The main area of moisture, this area of blue, notice how it's a big fat thing and then it just thins ... so it's like pulling a piece of blue Plasticine [gestures doing so], it gets longer and longer.

As we go through the course of the next couple of days we're saying to this system, 'come on, go away, goodbye.'

Auckland
Bits and pieces of cloud, almost like you've flicked a few little lumps of white paint [gestures doing so].

Christchurch
Our ridge of high pressure is sitting down there. He'll build in like you pump up a bubble and, brrrf [expanding gesture], there it goes.

Don't be surprised, wake up in the morning [parting curtains gesture], pull back the bedroom curtains and go [pulls face - see pic] uuurgh. A bit of a grey start in places.

There's the high and he'll just sort of sit there, put it into park and say, 'yep, this is good.' He'll hang out there for the course of the weekend.

Wellington
There is the high and he sort of builds in and says, 'ha-ha, I'm here!' He'll hang around for the weekend.