That's The Weather, For Now - a Daniel Corbett fanblog

29th September

National
The area of blue thins itself out. Think about taking a piece of blue plasticine, you pull it apart [gestures doing so], it gets thinner and thinner until you can barely see it.

The one thing you will notice, you'll be outside in the garden and just feel the air and you'll go, 'wow! This feels mild.' It will be.

Twenty degrees, Invercargill, you'll have the deckchairs out in the garden [deckchair gesture], very pleasant indeed.

Auckland
Sunday:
That's the good-looking day, so you might be thinking [finger on chin], hmmm, that's the better barbecue day. Certainly is ... lovely day in fact, neighbours might be coming round.

Wellington
If you sort of look out the window in the morning [gestures doing so], say, on Saturday and go [pulls face], 'uuurgh, yucky,' it will be getting better.

27th September

National AM
That low sitting over the South Island, he's well gone, he's on a bus, he's heading well down to the south east.

Auckland AM
Today might be one of the days you peek out the door [gestures doing so - see pic] thinking, 'do I need the raincoat?' Put it in the bag, just in case.

Wellington AM
You can see that line of blue, notice how it just sits across the lower North Island through the day like a wiggly blue snake.

National PM
There's the area of blue, like a big blue sausage of sorts, easing its way in.

There's the low, swirling around like water flushing down a toilet of sorts.

26th September

National PM
The big high is sitting there say ing, 'uh-uh, I don't feel like moving.'

The Dominion Post
Weather in week ahead 'like a car wash'

MetService forecaster Daniel Corbett said the weather had been very fine, but that would ease away today as the rain moved in. He said the first weather system would do a bit of a "hula dance" over the city, and another weather system later in the weekend would bring wind and a cool change.

"If you've ever been to a carwash on a Saturday, that's what it is going to be like with all the weather systems."

Linking to the above article, Dominion Post journalist @Kerry_McBride tweeted:

Current topic of discussion in the @DomPost newsroom: Do you need an umbrella for a weather hula dance?

Bay of Plenty Times
Rain on its way:

MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett said the slow-moving weather system would finally come to town after loitering out to the west of New Zealand for the past couple of days.

"The past couple of days have seen a bit more cloud and some patchy rain but the next couple of days will definitely be the raincoat days of the weeks," he said.

"The big high from the past weekend has been slow to clear away so it kept the rain band with the next weather system out the west. It was a bit like waiting for a car park space to appear in a car park."

25th September

Auckland AM
Those picnic baskets are gonna stay at home today - and not a day for the blockies either.

On Twitter @Nasalhair suggested a 'blockie' might be a block party with a barbecue and 'frisbee mayhem', but the reality is a little more mundane; blockies are bricklayers.

National PM
You can see the high as well, good-looking thing. When it's got that size it's not gonna just sort of pack its bags and just, bmmm, off it goes.

The Spaghetti Junction of weather fronts slowly staggers its way in.

Turns out there are Spaghetti Junctions in NZ too.

Bay of Plenty Times
And I quote:

Meteorologist Daniel Corbett said the weather was "turning to custard"

24th September

National AM
This is the next weather system, sort of knocking on the door [gestures doing so], but the big high is saying [burly gesture], 'uh huh, not yet.'

Severe
It's the sunglasses back into the case, grab the umbrellas.

Rural
The cloud ... is getting rather lumpy, almost like lumps of porridge just bubbling up on a fairly hot stove.

22nd September

National
A good-looking weekend for us, it's one of those weekends you dig out the sunglasses, the t-shirt, instead of those previous ones where it's been the raincoat.

I wouldn't cancel those plans, maybe a trip out on the boat.

Rural
The high, it's a big high, it's almost like somebody's put a couple of air hoses to it [gestures doing so] and said, 'right, 100psi,' vvvv [expanding gesture] and it just bubbles up.

Rainfall? You're saying, 'well, what are you showing me that for?' This is over the next several days, the high is in place, right? But - as we go through the course of the middle part of next week, remember that system sitting out to the west? Starts to creep his way in. Aaargh! There it is.

Notice by now, the high, he's packed his bags, he's out the door.

20th September

National PM
You might be looking for that picnic basket, maybe the barbecue. You might even say [gestures turning dial], 'yes, it's fine!'

Maybe you're thinking, 'Ah, I've got a weekend away, I'm going somewhere.'

Then we go into the weekend and you're thinking, 'ooh, outdoor plans.' Well, with this thing in place [high pressure], why not?

Christchurch PM
The area of high pressure, it's like we take some glue [glueing gesture] and we stick it on the back of the high and, boom, leave it there.

Wellington PM
A good-looking weekend. You might even be looking for the old picnic basket, maybe even cranking the old barbecue into shape too.

19th September

Auckland AM
A pleasant-looking day, just a day where you maybe sort of say, 'I must go out for a sandwich at lunch.'

National PM
It's not one of those southerlies where you go, 'whoa-ho, wow!' Just a weak little thing.

There it is, big area of high pressure. You put a couple of air hoses in it [gestures doing so] and it just shhhhwwww [expanding gesture] expands. Think of the high like a big mountain of air, it sits in place and keeps all the other weather systems at bay. And that's how our weather's going to be and you can almost press pause to the weather [gestures doing so], keep it like that for the course of Friday.

And then look at Saturday. Yeah, that is Saturday. It's almost like I've changed the day.

18th September

National AM
A chilly start to the day. Step to the outside, say, in Blenheim, you'll go 'phoo, wow.'

And then we bring in the high. He just sort of sets himself in place and says, 'da daa! I'm here.'

This bubble, see, notice how the high just goes [expanding gesture] brrr! Like that. Like a big balloon, you pump it with air and shwww.

Christchurch AM
Notice the wind arrows, pretty small, pretty just sort of swimming about little green fish.

National PM
You might wake up and say [parting curtains gesture], 'uuurgh, it's grey.'

That weather front, you look at it, you say, 'is that it?' There isn't much to it. You think of it like a little thin blue string of plasticine of sorts.

Our high, just like a big bubble, sitting there saying, 'no, the weather will stay settled.'

Auckland PM
One of those sets of days where you say, ahhh, it's packed lunch weather. Decent for the outside.

17th September

National AM
Showers. Not raining all the time, just shhhh, here and there. And then they sort of go away.

National PM
This, like we've taken blue paint and gone, vhum! [throwing gesture]

High pressure sitting in place. He just sort of shifts the car into 'park' [gestures doing so] and says, 'I'm here! I'm gonna stay.'

Wellington PM
Heavy rain in Wellington this morning:
Something that was, shhhw [dropping gesture] teeming its way down to just sort of greet you as you step to the outside for Monday morning.

Severe
Another weather system just sort of sitting there, just loitering out there like a little lost little puppy of sorts.

13th September

National PM
Big lump of blue there, like I've gone mad with the blue crayon [scribbling gesture].

Friday's a day to say, 'yes, very good indeed' [stretches arms out]

Then we work towards the weekend and you're gonna go already [shields eyes - see pic], 'no.'

Snow
Maybe over the past couple of days you've looked at the surrounding mountains and say, 'wow, look at the snow!' and you're thinking, 'hmmm' [finger on chin - see pic] this weekend, yes, good in fact for the skiing conditions.

This weather system just bends its way round, looks like a bit of a two-legged octopus of sorts [bends round].

12th September

Wellington AM
Then we bring in the area of high pressure and - voila! Thursday. Good-looking day.

National PM
Notice the winds, much smaller, so it's not like you're standing at the bus stop going, 'hoho, boy!'

3News
Here's Dan on Firstline talking about the lingering winter.
Might remember the 'ch-ch-ch-ch' [with piano-playing-eque gesture] perhaps the soft hail falling on the windows last night.

11th September

National AM
Today could be one of those days where, before you take the step outside, you might want to think twice and think, 'it's gonna be cold.'

Wellington AM
By Wednesday, eight degrees, so it'll be like, 'where's the warm coat?' You'll be grabbing it.

TVNZ Breakfast
Dan was on the telly talking about the expected wintry blast:
Mother Nature is breathing her ugly breath and it's coming up slowly, her ugly breath up the far south of the South Island.

Radio New Zealand
Dan was on Morning Report:

The ground is fairly warm, it's like trying to put snow on an oven, what happens? It melts.

Mother Nature is funny. You always look at her, think of her, she's like the fat lady in the circus because the show's not over until she sings.

Nelson Mail
Daffodils are blooming, does this mean spring has sprung in NZ?

Wednesday will be the coldest morning but Thursday is not looking like a cup of tea either.

Also, a strong contender for Dan-ism of the year:

Mr Corbett hesitated to say how summer was likely to shape up.

"So many factors affect it. It's like someone mixing a wedding cake and you think it's going to turn out beautifully but all you get is three cupcakes on a plate. Water temperature is what affects our weather, that's what makes the final ingredient to the recipe for summer."

10th September

Auckland AM
There might be the leftover drib and drab.

National PM
Looks like we'll all be grabbing those extra layers, might even be digging in the cupboard for that extra-warm coat.

You look at the cloud first off the bat, notice the different lumps, like taking lumps of porridge and just throwing them at the weather map.

Wellington PM
Look at the southerly, that's starting to knock on the doorsteps. You'll see that later on, vmmm, probably be heading home you'll go, 'wo-o-ow!'

9th September

National
The picnic basket stays well in the back of the cupboard. Hold onto your hats, still gonna be using the wet-weather gear too.

There will be a few drier spots but you will have to look at them pretty closely with a fine-toothed comb.

8th September

National
It's one of those weekends where you batten down the hatches, hold onto your hats and probably stay inside watching the old films.

See all the pieces of weather fronts, like bits of spaghetti.

You see the lines, they're so close together. It's like the accordion player, he's playing like this [fists together] with them close together.

Auckland
It's one of those weekends where you're gonna struggle with the barbecue outside, more likely it's gonna be the raincoat.

Wellington
High pressure knocks on the door [knocking gesture] and tries to build in slowly over the course of next week. That's the weather for now [point], more at MetService-dot-com.

Rural
There it is, high pressure, not quite here yet but it's sort of waving [waves] saying, 'I'm coming.'

7th September

National AM
Quite a wet and windy spell for us over the next couple of days, you look at the weather map right away and you go, 'aaargh! Gosh.'

You'll be outside with just the short sleeves saying, 'this feels OK!'

Auckland AM
Saturday's the old day where you're probably grabbing the old raincoat. Not the day for the outside with the barbecue, unfortunately.

Wellington AM
It's one of those days where you probably see the old dustbin lids going down the street [sweep of arm] with the strong to severe gales working their way through.

6th September

National AM
Eighteen degrees; you might even have the picnic basket out.

Let's have some fine-looking weather for the weekend and then you look at that and you go, 'aaargh!' Yeah.

Wellington AM
You see these lines getting closer together, it's like taking an accordion and going hyooom [accordion gesture], like that.

National PM
You think to yourself, 'come on Dan, give us a break, get this thing out of the way.'

Auckland PM
You look at Saturday and you go, 'eee, gosh, yeah.'

Snow
See the pinks, like a school of salmon coming in from Alaska in the spring.

5th September

National PM
That squeeze of the lines, you can't get them any closer. It's almost like having the accordion, getting it full closed [gestures doing so], can't even squeeze any more.

Okay [takes breath], let's look at the weather. First off, we've got quiet weather across the far north. You'll be outside saying, 'yeah, this is nice,' enjoy it. Eighteen Paihia, Auckland as well; it's a day for the cafés, very nice indeed.

Wind:
You think we're out of the woods just yet? Not quite. Look at this. Aaaargh! You almost want to turn away.

Wellington PM
Gales:
The old window panes will be going like this [shakes hands].

Manawatu Standard
Shaky spring set to continue:

"Hopefully we'll get enough decent weather for the beach and the barbecues, and the farmers will get what they need," Mr Corbett said.

4th September

National AM
You will be out there at the bus stop with the raincoat, how ever you want to slice it.

National PM
Showers;
Almost like having a paintbrush of yellow paint and just chmmm, chmmm, chmmm, flicking at the weather map [gestures doing so].

This high pressure, he's just sort of sitting there waiting on the edges almost like Shakespearean actor of sorts.

Seventeen degrees; the old fat coat can stay in the cupboard at home.

Auckland Now
Double rainbow follows big wet:

"Spring is very changeable," Corbett said. "We get heavy rain one day, showers the next and we'll all be outside with picnic baskets near the end of the week and then we'll be grabbing our raincoats as the next weather system comes through."

3rd September

National AM
Almost the weather system working through like little soldiers, spokes on a bicycle wheel working through.

Auckland AM
Looks like you'll be digging in the cupboard Sunday night for the old Monday morning raincoat.

Wellington AM
Probably starting to sound like a bit like a broken record on Monday morning when I sit there and say, 'grab the raincoat.' That is certainly gonna be the case and you can see why; look at the mass of blue, like we've had the blue paint and gone pfff [drags hand across map] on the weather map.

National PM
There's the area of rain, you look at it and go, 'wow.' Almost like we've been busy with our crayons over the last twelve hours.

The truth about wind arrows:
Whenever you see the pink ones you go, 'pink salmon'.

Dominion Post
Foul-weather men - Meet the Kiwis who live and breathe weather
Headed by a photo of Dan, this article was already amazing. Read on!

Dan Corbett, MetService's media 'ambassador' chips in: 'We're far more engaged and proactive [than other state broadcasters]. You'd never see the UK Met Office or the US National Weather Service call up a sporting event, to say 'this will be a dangerous situation'.'

Corbett is MetService's new star signing. A trained meteorologist, he was one of the BBC's top television weatherman until he moved to New Zealand early last year.

Like his big-bearded predecessor Bob McDavitt, Corbett is always available for media comment on the latest weather bomb. But unlike McDavitt, the 45-year-old is a broadcaster in his own right. So each day he nips down to MetService's tiny television studio and knocks out a range of short forecast videos which are posted online and pushed to a smartphone app. He doesn't use a script, seldom needs a second take, and uses some of the weirdest descriptions of weather you've ever heard.

The Radio Times called Corbett 'Britain's best weatherman'. One English fan, who is presumably bonkers, is still running the fan blog she launched in 2006, which includes daily summaries of his forecasts and transcripts of what she calls 'Dan-isms'. These include recurring use of weather metaphors including a two-legged octopus, a washing machine, treacle on a pudding plate and a broken neon sign.

Corbett says when a forecast is dull, viewers tune out halfway. His mad banter is the antidote.

It's 'theatre of the mind', says Corbett. 'So I'll say: 'The weather system is stuck. You drive a car on the beach and it just sits there and spins its wheels in the mud. It's not going to move.'

'People see the car, vrrrroooom. And they think of the weather system. They may not understand the science but now they can see it - oh, it's not going to change.'

Corbett says the MetService is colonising the new territories of smartphone apps and social media, and offering more and more information on its website, because 'all the different platforms are ways to get important information out'.

and

Look, says Corbett, as he stands and points from the roof of the MetService office.

'That cloud is flat, almost like a pancake, so the air above it is probably warmer, so it's stable. But if those bottom clouds were like massive cauliflowers already, the forecaster would look and say we've got a very unstable regime, something's going to change.'

Corbett's favourite cloud?

'Big cu-nims' (that's meteorologist-speak for cumulo-nimbus, the unstable mushroom-shaped ones that can portend dramatic wind, rain and thunder).

'Presumably bonkers'. Amazing.
Co-incidentally, I think the very same of myself each time I log in here to blog. Not even I know why I'm still doing this.

1st September

National
Heavy rain:
It's like taking a sponge, squeeze it against a wall [gestures doing so], tchhh, it all drips out.

Plan accordingly; it's the barbecue, the neighbours coming round, you'll have the fry up or something. You've got some decent weather.

Wellington, good-looking Saturday, might be a barbecue day, you never know, if you're keen perhaps out there [gestures wheeling barbecue out - see pic].

Keep a scorecard for next week [scorecard gesture] as all the weather systems come through pretty thick and fast.

Auckland
It might be one of those weekends you could be dusting off the barbecue [gestures doing so], you never know.

Wellington
A slow-moving high:
It's almost like a bit of a sloth, not really wanting to clear away [shuffles along].

Dominion Post
First day of spring should be savoured:

"Tell everyone to get their barbecues out, or pack a picnic basket," MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett said.

"Saturday is the kind of fine day you'll want to grab with both hands and say ‘it's mine'.

"We never can completely say, ‘We're into spring, hooray, that's it'. We have to keep half an eye out for colder southerlies."