that's the weather, for now

31st May

I'm afraid I missed the morning forecast videos (evening in the UK); I fell asleep!

National PM
Again, verbatim:
A decent looking day, it's one of those days where you sort of say [checklist-type gesture] and say, 'ooh, a very pleasant afternoon.'

Auckland PM
With the clear skies and light winds, temperatures will not hang about, it'll be like taking a stone [gestures holding a large stone] and going, vmmm [dropping gesture], straight down.

Christchurch PM
Next couple of days we then take the high, it just sort of pulls up a chair, opens the newspaper [gestures doing so] and says, 'I'm here!'

Wellington PM
We bring in the high; come on, fella.

30th May

National AM
As we go through the week, that big high that's been sort of just sitting out there just waiting [waiting gesture, bounces on heels], quietly, like somebody at the bus stop, will slowly say to all these weather fronts, 'go on, get out of the way.'

And then the high, he sits out there like a quiet little patient one and finally says, by the end of the week, 'it's my turn,' and he builds his way in.

Christchurch AM
I think you'll step to the outside and say, 'hmmm, this is OK.'

Notice the overnights, maybe on the chilly side. A couple of extra logs maybe going on the fire [gestures doing so].

Wellington AM
We have the high, he's finally sitting there, he's been waiting there [waiting gesture, bounces on heels - it defies an adequate screengrab] saying, 'la la la la la,' he will finally build his way in.

National PM
You might see a few showers:
Maybe in Wellington, but I wouldn't be sitting there all day with the old raincoat.

Queenstown:
A couple of extra logs on the fire, at minus one.

We build in the high [beckons] come on, build your way in, and as he does it just settles things down so as you head towards the course of Friday we'll all be saying 'wow'.

Auckland PM
The high:
Sort of pulls up a chair [gestures doing so], opens the newspaper [gestures doing so] and the high hangs in.

Christchurch PM
I think you'll step to the outside and you'll go, 'oooh, wow!'

Notice the overnights; on the chilly side, so a couple of extra blankets, maybe the extra log or two on the fire will certainly come in handy. That's the weather for now [point], more at MetService [nod] dot com.

Wellington PM
You see already this next lump of cloud and you say, 'hmmm, my gosh.'

The high:
Just sort of builds in, just sort of goes like that [burly, elbowing gesture] and says, 'ha ha, I'm here.'

There'll be screengrabs added at the weekend.

29th May

National AM
A few showers:
As we take this weather system and push it out the back door [dismissive wave of hand].

National PM
Notice how these lumps of cloud, like lumps of porridge on the weather map.

This one looks nothing written down. 'Twas all in the delivery:
The high sitting our west finally says, 'my turn' and he starts to build in.

Auckland PM
I swear to you, this was verbatim:
A few showers here and there. Not raining all the time, just those showers you sort of see and maybe out and about through the bus stop day.

The high sitting out west finally sort of stretches his arms out [burly-esque gesture] and says, 'I'm coming to visit for the weekend.'

Christchurch PM
Notice the lines, they start building their way from the west. That's the pressure rising as our friend high pressure finally sort of sets himself up [steps] and says, 'I'm here!'

Wellington PM
Notice how these bits of cloud here, rather lumpy like bits of porridge being thrown at the weather map [gestures doing so].

Some fine-looking weather is heading our way as we head towards the end of the week as the high that's just been sitting there, waiting patiently like a schoolchild, he'll start to build in.

28th May

Dan's back!

National PM
All the cloud, it looks like a bit like lumpy porridge really.

What is that wet weather, bye-bye to that, off it goes.

Auckland PM
Notice all the lumps of cloud, like lumps of porridge.

Pressure does start to rise and as that does it's almost like putting a lid on the atmosphere [gestures doing so], it sort of squeezes out a lot of those showers.

Notice the wind arrows like big green fish swimming their way along.

Christchurch PM
All the speckly bits of cloud, almost like looking at bits of porridge.

11th May

National AM
We have one low that's spinning around, almost like a car that's stuck in the mud [gestures car wheels spinning].

Auckland AM
The winds, there they are, just swimming their way along like some big fat yellow fish.

Auckland PM
One weak weather front of sorts, a stringy sort of thing, this chappie here ... think of it like a piece of blue plasticine, you pull it apart [gestures doing so], off it goes and then, bmmm [splays fingers - see pic], there it is.

We bring in the next weather system and this has a bit more grunt to it.

Put the old umbrella in the bag [gestures doing so], it's gonna come in handy.

Christchurch PM
The weak weather front:
That is a weak-looking thing, it's almost like you pull it apart [gestures doing so] and go, fmmm, that's it, it disappears.

3 News
Unless you've been living under a rock, I'm sure you'll have seen Prince Charles having a go at presenting the Weather at BBC Scotland. 3 News had the brilliant idea of asking Dan for his thoughts:

3 News decided to ask 12-year veteran of the BBC's weather team, Dan Corbett - who now works for the Met Service - what he thought of the Prince’s performance.
“He did a really good job, you know ‘low pressure, get away’ and his mannerisms were very Prince Charles-like. He came across with the story. It's going to wet and windy yes,” Mr Corbett says.

Hmmm, not quite sure they've typed that quote up correctly.

10th May

National AM
One of those mornings you open up the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so - see pic] and you go, uuurgh, yuck.

Auckland AM
Troughs:
Just like a couple of little spokes in a bicycle wheel.

We take what is this low that's spinning around for a couple of days like a car that's sort of stuck in the mud [gestures car wheels spinning].

Wellington AM
Today's one of those days, if you went past the local duck pond you'll probably see all the ducks with smiles on their faces.

National PM
Our weather system is certainly getting a bit strung out, different pieces here and there, almost like stretching a piece of plasticine in different pieces [gestures doing so].

9th May

No idea how long this has been going on for, but I've only just discovered there are now two daily updates to MetService TV. More Dan!

Severe Weather Update AM
Notice how the cloud is rather lumpy, almost like bits of porridge being thrown at the weather map.

There's a severe weather update video on this Nelson Mail page.

National AM
The weather system:
It's almost like a bit of an octopus going like this [bends arms back - see pic].

Auckland AM
You can see the low ... spinning around almost like a washing machine on the spin cycle.

Different parts of the weather system:
Almost like on a washing machine, different lumps of clothing spinning about, different spokes of little areas of moisture.

Auckland PM
This chap, spinning around [spinning gesture], like a car in the mud for a couple of days.

Christchurch PM
It looks like this; it's gonna be a mucky sort of day, you'll wake up and you're gonna go [pulls face - see pic] 'uurgh, gosh'. And you look at the map and say, 'gee, gosh,' you couldn't put any more blue on.

8th May

National
It's a mucky-looking day and it's almost like taking lumps of paint, throwing them at the weather map [gestures doing so - see pic], it's definitely a day for the old raincoat as you step to the outside. Here's how it looks - and right off the bat you'll say, 'uuurgh, gosh,' it's a mucky sort of day.

Auckland
You can see the low, it's almost like a bit of a washing machine, spinning round lumps of moisture.

You think, 'well, we've had enough of this low, clear it away,' it's like a bit of a washing machine on the spin cycle [spinning gesture].

Christchurch
The day will probably start off with that rain setting itself in and more or less pulling up a chair and hanging around for a day or so with the wet-weather gear coming in.

Wellington
The wet-weather gear will definitely come in handy as we head towards mid-week, Wednesday, when you'll probably be huddled at the bus stop [huddling gesture] like that.

It's probably not going to be the night for the old washing on the line and certainly as we head towards Wednesday it's the wet-weather gear in hand.

4th May

National
You might need that extra log on the fire again for the course of the night.

Auckland
Maybe it's the day outside with the family, maybe it's just washing the car [gestures doing so] or something.

The big high is just sort of sitting there. It drops anchor and says, 'I'm gonna hang around for a while.'

Wellington
The area of high pressure, the centre of it will certainly sort of sit down and sort of open up the paper and hang out for the course of the weekend.

3rd May

National
For many of us this morning you stepped to the outside and you went, 'phwoor, gosh!' [see pic]. Quite a different feel, that cold air sitting in place, those extra layers certainly coming in handy.

The weekend, it's here, how does it look? Well, look at this thing, it's like it's just been pumped up with some air this big high [gestures jabbing an air hose at it] and it just drops anchor, sits in place, keeps it quiet.

The overnight still on the chilly side, so you're thinking, a couple of extra logs on the fire, they will certainly come in handy.

Wellington
This morning was probably one of those mornings if you took the dog out for a walk [dog-walking gesture], you both got to the door and he probably looked up at you and said [shakes head], no, not yet, far too chilly.

This little chappie just sort of flicking by like a little paintbrush with a bit of paint, just sort of flicks along [paint-flicking gesture].

Our big ridge of high pressure just says to the little weather front, 'enough of you,' pulls it apart [gestures doing so].

2nd May

National
It's a big high, you look at this thing to the west and you say, 'wow'. It's almost like it's just been attached to an air hose [gestures holding one] and just, vmmm, started to build in.

With clearer skies and light winds at night the temperatures are gonna go, shooom [dropping gesture], straight down. Keep those blankets handy.

The high is more or less building. It's like you attach a couple of air hoses and just watch it go [expanding gesture] pfff, like that.

Auckland
You've been to the outside first thing this morning and go, ho, wow, a different feel.

You look at the cloud on one side of New Zealand and it's almost like the cloud has got measles.

Little weather system down there, this little bloke, it's like flicking a paintbrush really [gestures doing so].

Grab the extra layer if you're gonna be standing at the bus stop because you'll be like this [see pic] if you haven't. We'll have lightish winds, little green fish or sorts swimming their way by.

The high:
As it build it's almost like having a boat and you drop anchor [gestures doing so], it's gonna hang around for a couple of days.

By the time we get to the weekend you'll be saying, 'yeah, this is nice'.

Christchurch
The cloud just sort of bubbling up and almost like bits of popcorn there.

Wellington
The rain radar:
Look at the feed, almost like bits of popcorn, bubbling to life.

That raincoat, you might be able to give it a rest for the next couple of days.

The high, it's like you stick an air hose in it and it just goes, vvv [expanding gesture], like that.

This little chappie, it's like a weak little weather front, it's like a flicking of a paintbrush of sorts [gestures flicking paintbrush].

This little weather system just grazes his way by, he might just sort of knock on our doorsteps and just flick a little bit of cloud past us.

The high is just sort of like a big funny-looking kidney shape thing, building and saying, 'I'm here,' and the high will almost drop its anchor and say it's gonna hang around for a couple of days.

1st May

National
For some of us this morning it was quite a different feel as you step to the outside, it was probably like this and going, 'phoo, wow!'

That colder surge of air, like spilling some treacle on a plate and it just spreads out.

You might be thinking, 'ooh, an extra blanket on the bed.'

That high is gonna be with us, he's sort of pulled up a chair, he's gonna hang around for a while.

Christchurch
The speckly showers, you can see this little cluster of bits and pieces here. It's the more cold, unstable air, like having a pot on the stove, you put it on the stove and the bubbles just come up [with accompanying gestures].

A nice big high just sort of spreads out its elbows [gestures doing so - see pic] and says, 'hi, I'm here, I'm gonna hang around for a couple of days.'

Wellington
You might wanna think, 'where's that extra blanket?'

The high just sort of nestles in and says, 'ha ha, I'm here!'

30th April

National
Our friend, high pressure, he's just sort of sitting there, waiting [bounces on heels as he does the waiting gesture - see pic].

Clear skies, light winds; you know what the temperatures are gonna go, vmmm, [dropping gesture], they're gonna drop like a stone, so those extra blankets, you might even be notching the old central heating on as well [thermostat gesture].

The high, he's the one on the menu, so to speak, for the week.

Auckland
All the speckles of cloud here, it's like the weather map has got measles of sorts.

Maybe a little cooler at night, so you might be sort of thinking, 'ooh, an extra blanket,' perhaps.

Temperatures will be that bit cooler through the day and particularly at night; you might be tempted to say, 'where's that blanket?' might come in handy.

Christchurch
You might be tempted to notch the old heating on [thermostat gesture] as we go through the next couple.

Clearer skies, lighter winds, the temperatures are gonna go, shoom [dropping gesture], straight down.

Wellington
We'll also have some cool nights so you might be just tempted to sort of already think, well, where's those blankets?

27th April

Severe Weather Update
This is the lump of cloud and it is rather lumpy, like lumps of cloud being thrown at the weather map [gestures doing so].

Referring to the wind arrows:
You see all the pink and you go, 'gosh, that's pretty!'

National
Again, about the wind arrows:
You see all this pink, it's like we've had a sale on salmon or something [see pic].

Saturday:
It's not a washout. You want to plan accordingly if it's the outdoor plans or, say, the carwash or something.

Queenstown; probably OK. An extra log on the fire at night, though.

Auckland
See those little lines, almost lined up little soldiers.

The next weather system is this guy and see how he's squeezing all the lines together like it's a bit of a music session with an accordion.

Wellington
This little high chappie to the north, he'll settle in and just say, [burly gesture, bouncing] 'I'm hanging around for Saturday,' and he does.

You see all these lines just being accordion-ed together [accordion gesture].

Dominion Post
There's a great picture of 'Weather whisperer: Media and communications meteorologist Daniel Corbett at a MetService measurement site' in this article about predicting Wellington's weather. Yes, great picture, shame about the article.

Auckland Now
The small tornado risk has passed. Dan says:

"The big high we've had packed his bags and left the building."

26th April

No forecast on ANZAC Day yesterday.

National
We're saying goodbye to the area of high pressure ... he's easing away, off he goes, bye bye - and instead we're saying hello to this big curl of cloud here.

It's not picnic weather either, say, for Nelson towards Blenheim.

Wellington
A good lump of rain too, you'll just sort of notice that. You might even hear it on the window panes [waggles fingers above head - see pic - but gesture defied a decent screengrab] through the course of the night and probably at the bus stop in the morning hours, so it's the raincoat as you step to the outside.

These little lined up little chappies like soldiers, they're just a few little troughs that'll bring some showers.

A bit of a roller-coaster ride [roller-coaster gesture] as far as the weather's concerned.

24th April

National
The high is still sitting there but it's just sort of slowly saying, 'ah, I've had enough,' and it's slowly thinking of packing its bags and heading out of town.

So the high, it's packing its bags [gestures doing so], it is slowly easing away.

That lump of wet weather, zhooom, that's going to be working through.

Thursday night into Friday, not a night for the washing on the line.

Auckland
The big high is still giving us mostly fine weather but it's slowly starting to pack its bags, it's gonna be heading out the door soon.

We're losing the high, as I say, it's packing its bags [gestures doing so], you can imagine it sort of working out the door saying goodbye [waves].

Wellington
Our high has finally just said, 'OK, I'm gonna go.'

It might be one of those nights on Thursday night to make sure the dustbin lids are tied down [gestures doing so - or at least I think so, the video quality was pretty poor at this bit].

23rd April

National
Big ridge of high pressure sitting across New Zealand keeps the raincoats in the cupboards for another couple of days for sure.

Auckland
There's been bits and pieces of cloud floating about, almost like chess pieces of sorts.

Watch on MetService TV.

20th April

National
Saturday morning, you're gonna be out and about with the friends, maybe it's a trip to the beach, you never know.

The high, you almost think of it like a big cement block, you sort of sit it in place [gestures doing so], it's heavy and it doesn't really want to move.

Auckland
Another decent-looking day; certainly the day for the old barbecue [barbecue gesture - see pic] or maybe that trip to the beach, very pleasant indeed.

This system here, see how it's just trying to elongate and work its way in, but the high's just sort of sitting here and saying, [burly gesture] 'ha ha, I'm here.'

Christchurch
Nineteen degrees in Christchurch; yeah, you're already thinking, 'maybe a barbecue'.

Wellington
We go beyond that into Sunday and you're thinking, 'well that's the different day'. Not really.

New Zealand Herald
It seems like New Zealand's autumn has been sunnier than its summer:

MetService spokesman Daniel Corbett said the fine weather will continue through the weekend, and even well into next week.

"This is a big, big high. If you look at the pressure - it is almost to the point where you want to put your fingers in your ears. It's almost like a big stubborn ox, it is slow to move."

19th April

Christchurch
A big high is coming to visit New Zealand, you can almost imagine it just sort of coming to sit down at the stable, pulls out the chair, opens up the paper and grabs a coffee and just hangs out for a couple of days.

18th April

National
Think of the high like squeezing a sandwich together [gestures doing so - see pic], you sort of push out all the ooomph inbetween.

The big ridge of high pressure sitting there just slowly builds in and you look at this thing and you think you've just sort of gone like that [gestures stretching isobars out vertically and horizontally] with the old isobars. It is a big high and when you have a big high like that it just sits there, it means business. And it's gonna hang around for a couple of days, like there's a bit of glue [glueing gesture] sitting on the back of the H.

Auckland
You might be thinking again, is it one of those weekends where the old barbecue can be coming out? [barbecue gesture - see pic. Yay!] Yes, indeed.

You can see the wind arrows like some green fish swimming their way along on the course of a Thursday morning.

We still have that big high just building in and going like this [burly gesture] and saying, 'I'm here for a couple of days.'

Christchurch
Don't be surprised, you might be standing there at the bus stop and going, [pulls face] 'eeeurgh,' it's a bit of a grey start.

It certainly is a big high, it's just sort of sitting there. It's like a big chap just sort of going like that [burly gesture] and just sort of working his way in.

17th April

National
It's almost like you stick two air hoses into either side of this high and it just starts to build.

We build the high, it's just like a big old thing. You can imagine a bloke with two arms like this [burly gesture] just standing there saying, 'yeah, I'm here for a couple of days.'

Auckland
Next couple of days, the high, he more or less says, 'I'm here, I'm gonna stay,' and it certainly does. It's like he's been filled up with some air, a couple of air hoses if anything, just looking at the thing expand.

The high looks like it's gonna drop it's anchor as well [gestures doing so].

Christchurch
High pressure:
More or less sets itself up, it puts out its table and sets [it sounded like 'sets' but 'sits' would make more sense] and just hangs out for a couple of days.

Wellington
So maybe put a tick [gestures doing so] next to the day, Friday into the course of Saturday, maybe a packed lunch day, you never know. [point] That's the weather for now, more at MetService-[nod]-dot-com.

There may be a screengrab later - not sure which ones are saved where due to ongoing computer issues. I've not been quite myself this past week, it's all passed in a bit of a blur and I can't find all of my blog notes.
My computer is fixed now, so hopefully normal service will return soon. I just need to sort myself out now ;-)

16th April

National
It's not like you're going to be sitting huddled under the umbrella for most of the week [huddles as he does the two-handed umbrella gesture].

Auckland
The two highs are taking this little lump of wet weather and just squeezing it by the scruff of the neck [gestures doing so - see pic].

See how this high is just this big thing. It's almost like just sort of building in saying, [burly gesture] 'I'm here, I'm gonna do it.'

Christchurch
The weather for the week is like two big fat blokes and one skinny one; two big fat highs [fat gesture] and one skinny little one, a skinny little weather front [indicates width].

Wellington
We say to the high, 'build in,' and it will.

Gisbourne Herald
Some heavy rain in the Gisbourne area:

MetService spokesman Dan Corbett says last week’s event was like someone taking a water-loaded sponge and squashing it against a brick wall.

and

Mr Corbett said this blocking was a bit like a weather traffic jam and resulted in the East Coast getting a soaking.

13th April

National
We bring in the high. It's like having a big balloon, you stick an air hose to it and, pshhh [expanding gesture], there it goes.

So plan your spot, very pleasant indeed, barbecue or whatever it might be.

Auckland
Notice how we open up the lines [the isobars], almost like opening up an accordion [gestures doing so].

The high is building in, it's almost like going like this [burly gesture] saying, 'I'm here to stay,' and it certainly will.

Christchurch
These, almost like little octopus legs, weak little weather fronts, just skip their way up the east coast.

The high:
Just sort of sits there for a couple of days and says, 'yes, this is nice.'

Plan the days accordingly [choosing gesture], barbecue, whatever it might be, you've got some decent-looking weather.

Wellington
This high will just sort of build in, shift himself into 'park' [gestures doing so] and hang around.

Don't be surprised, you might say, [pulls face] 'ugh, it's a grey start.'

Referring to the wind arrows:
See these southerlies like some green fish swimming their way up.

Apologies for the delay in blogging this week's -isms; computer issues!

12th April

National
Looks like the raincoats will finally get a chance to dry out.

Notice the lines that just start building like you're pumping up a balloon.

Maybe you're gonna be out and about, maybe just take the kids to the beach or something.

Pick the day [choosing gesture], barbecue weather indeed for many of us looking good. That's the weather for now [point], more at MetService-[nod]-dot-com.

Christchurch
It looks like those raincoats will finally start to dry out after the soggy weather we've had.

Sunday; a good-looking day, that might be the barbecue day.

Wellington
The raincoats you can stash to the back of the cupboard as we head into the weekend.

11th April

National
Looks like it could be the wet-weather gear for some of us over the next couple of days.

This thing, looks like a bit of a four-legged octopus of sorts.

Not a night for the old washing on the line. Bring it in, it'll probably be another day more than likely.

Auckland
Sitting out there, you can't even see it, sitting off on the edge, a nice ridge of high pressure just waiting [waiting gesture] and then when somebody just sort of taps him on the shoulder [taps himself on the shoulder - see pic] he's gonna build in.

Christchurch
Maybe you're already thinking, well, you know [taps hand, let's call this the 'choosing gesture'], maybe it's the weekend to see Grandma, or something, or maybe you've got friends coming round.

A low:
Almost like a bit of an octopus, all the different weather fronts here and there.

Wellington
It's not one of these small little highs [gestures size by making a diamond shape with fingers], it's a big bloke [burly gesture].

10th April

National
So the wet-weather gear, dig it out of the cupboard, you will be needing it.

Look at some of these overnight temperatures too. You'll say, 'oooh wow,' yeah, you might be sort of tempted to maybe notch the heating on as well [thermostat gesture].

Auckland
Wednesday; not a day for the washing on the line, it's probably the old raincoat day for sure.

Wellington
We might have to take the sun hats and sun chairs we've had out over the past couple of days, just put them to one side [gestures doing so], grab the wet-weather gear.

Wednesday night, not the night for the washing on the line.

Stuff.co.nz
Easter bunny brings weather treat:

A ridge of high pressure sitting across the South Island grew much bigger than expected, leading to the excellent weather, he said.

"It kind of stretched its elbows in the middle of the week and said, 'You know what, I've had enough of this crowded situation'," Mr Corbett said.

"Keep the barbecue out for next weekend."

5th April

National
You get some decent weather with that high, he's just sort of sitting there [waiting gesture] saying, 'yeah, I'm gonna be here for a couple of days.' Here how it shapes up; we look at things for Friday, maybe you're gonna be at Grandma's or going away or something.

The high's just sort of gone like that [burly gesture? See pic] and said, 'ah, I'm just gonna hang around.'

Christchurch
It's a picnic day, it's a barbecue day, whatever you've got planned.

How about the next couple of days? Because you're thinking, 'well, it's Sunday the day she's coming round,' or whatever you might have planned, still should be OK.

Wellington
We had a stubborn low sitting across the north of the North Island, but high pressure to the south has more or less gone like that [elbowing gesture - see pic] to it and said, 'clear out of the way.'

The low:
It's pretty skinny, it's just more or less being squeezed so it's going like that [skinny gesture - see pic], it's really just not really managing to have much life left to it.

How about the weekend? Maybe that's the day the friends are coming round, the relatives or something?

Dominion Post News
Amazing Easter Bunny Dan-ism in this piece about Wellington's Easter weekend weather:

"You can imagine if the Easter Bunny turns up at most places this weekend he wouldn't be wearing his raincoat, he would be bouncing around all over the place having a lovely time," Mr Corbett said.

Brilliant.

4th April

Severe weather update
Look at the wind arrows as well, it's the orange and the pinks, those are the ones, like the school of salmon swimming up towards the centre of the low.

National
High pressure, yeah, he's still sitting down there, he's hanging about having a good old time [waiting gesture].

The wind, it's the pink ones, it's the salmon, it's almost like springtime.

What's left of the low:
Just sort of spinning and spinning. It's like having a washing machine; you've got bits of clothing floating about in the washing machine on the spin cycle, eventually it slows down, that's what's gonna happen.

Auckland
Not sure I heard this correctly:
What was our low there, spinning about, eventually spins out. It's almost like spinning around throwing off lumps of washing [arms out wide] if you're sort of holding a lot and you're spinning here.

Next couple of days and you see all the raindrops and you go [covers eyes], 'aaargh, gosh.'

Christchurch
You open up the curtains in the morning [gestures doing so], it'll be a bit of a [sharp intake of breath, pulls face] yucky start.

Wellington
We've had the cloud working in, the cloud being just sort of laden with moisture almost like holding a couple of sponges [gestures doing so - see pic] and you drop one.

Watch on YouTube or on MetService TV.

3rd April

National
The remains of Cyclone Daphne:
There it goes, bye bye, clear away, keep going.

Winds:
It's like the accordion going [brings fists together], neee, like that.

Christchurch
Wake up in the morning, open up the curtains [gestures doing so], you're gonna go [sharp intake of breath, pulls face], ooh, a different sort of start to the day.

Wellington
If anything, more than likely, one of those days where you hold onto the hats [touches head].

You can see these lines closer together like an accordion going like that [brings fists together].

Watch on MetService TV.

2nd April

National
An area of high pressure, like an accordion being squeezed like that [accordion gesture].

Auckland
You see the raindrops and you say, 'ah, God, it's yucky.' Just some bits of drizzle, not a wash out.

30th March

National
A decent-looking weekend for many of us, perhaps even a barbecue weekend, maybe even beach, you never know.

We've had the cloud bubbling up, almost like a pot that's sitting on the stove just boiling away for days and days and days.

Our high is just a big old thing. It's like this big fat bloke walks into a pub and he just sort of says, 'yep, I'm here, I'm gonna hang around.'

Here's how it shapes up and you're thinking 'maybe a beach day?' [loved his expression here - see pic] You never know. There might be one or two showers across the far north but hit and miss ones, not a soggy sort of day with the umbrella [two-handed, huddled umbrella gesture].

How about Sunday? You're thinking, [taps hand] 'well, ah, it's gonna be a catch, one of the days will be worse.'

Auckland
Well, you're thinking, should we go to the bach or something? We've got a decent weekend, enjoy it for the most part.

Wellington
It looks like for many of us it'll be a weekend for the sun lotion and the sun hats.

We enjoy the high, it sits in place, it's just like a big old thing, it's almost just like somebody's shifted it into park [gestures doing so] and leave it there for a couple of days and then you come back to it - it's still there.

29th March

National
A pleasant-looking day, maybe you're thinking, 'ah, I'm gonna sneak away for the weekend.'

This bloke [the high] is a big, fat bloke [burly gesture] just sort of sitting there, not wanting to move.

Auckland
The high will more or less just be like this [burly gesture] saying, 'I'm here for a while'.

If you do have plans and you're thinking, 'well, ah, the weekend. Finally, some decent weather.' Enjoy it.

Christchurch
Friday morning, maybe you're gonna be out and about or thinking, 'well, ah, it's just a good day for a lie in.'

Maybe in the morning you might open up [parting curtains gesture?] and say, 'ooh, wow, a grey start.'

It's still there, the big high sitting in place. It's almost like you put a pin through the high [gestures doing so] and just sort of leave it there and you say [waiting gesture], 'da de da de da,' and the high sits there for a couple of days, that weather system loiters about.

Wellington
With a big ridge of high pressure sitting across New Zealand, you might be tempted to think about a barbecue, picnic, you never know over the next few days.

Maybe you're already thinking, long weekend, you never know.

Then as we go into the weekend you're thinking, 'No! Can this be? A nice-looking weekend?' Why not! There it is. And these highs when they build in they more or less just sort of park themselves, they drop their anchor.

It might even be a barbecue weekend, what ever you've got.

28th March

National
It's a packed-lunch day in Auckland.

Chilly; look at some of those overnight temperatures. You might be tempted to sort of throw an extra log on the fire [gestures doing so] or something at night. As we go through the next couple of days, our ridge of high pressure, it's almost like somebody takes a bit of glue [glueing gesture] and just goes, 'pppt' [gestures sticking it on a map], like that.

Auckland
The high is more or less just gonna sit there and it's a big old thing isn't it? It's just sort of sitting there saying [burly gesture], 'I'm gonna hang around for a couple of days,' it's like it's got a bit of glue on the back of the H.

Christchurch
Looking good through the weekend, so outdoor plans, yeah, we're probably OK. Washing the car or maybe the neighbours are coming round.

Wellington
The high ... that'll start building in and more or less setting out a couple of seats and pulling out a coffee [gestures doing so] and saying, 'I'm gonna hang about for a couple of days.'

This ridge of high pressure just sort of sits there and says, 'yep, very pleasant weather,' and really doesn't wanna move, keeps all the weather systems at bay.

27th March

National
Fine-looking weather for the outdoors, even just those outdoor plans, maybe even the washing, you never know.

Maybe a packed-lunch, yeah, it's a good one isn't it?

The high:
Almost like you go to the garage, you fill your car tyres up and you go [air pumping gesture], psss.

Auckland
High pressure:
That's gonna set out its stall [was Dan gesturing setting out a stall here? Possibly!] and hang out for a good part of the week.

Then, vhum! There it is, the big high building its way in. And it's almost like it just sits there, it stops, you put some glue on the back of the high, leave it there for a few days and that'll be our weather.

It's one of those days where you say, [taps the palm of his hand with a finger, perhaps gesturing checking plans on a calendar? See pic.] 'outdoor plans?' Yeah, very pleasant indeed, maybe even a packed lunch, very nice.

Christchurch
There's the weather front, bye bye, off you go. And it's not really going to be like a big soaking front and there'll probably be some leftover cloud in the morning. Peel back the bedroom curtains and you'll go, 'oooh, wow.'

The high, he really just weighs anchor, drops down and says, 'I'm gonna hang around for a couple of days.'

Wellington
For many of us it'll be one of those weeks where you can take the raincoat and just sort of stick it to the back of the cupboard and leave it there [gestures throwing it in the cupboard]

Then the high's just gonna muscle in [burly gesture] and say, 'I'm here, I'm just gonna stay for the rest of the week.'

Wind arrows:
Look at these chaps here, these green blokes, that's the southerly change, not a big one where you're gonna go [leans back - see pic] fuh! Like that.

And then the high builds in and it really does. It's like somebody's sort of stuck and air hose in the high and it just goes like that [expanding gesture]. See it growing?

Wow, Friday, that could be the packed lunch day, you never know

26th March

National
One of those weeks where we all probably think, 'where's the picnic basket?' or just head outside and enjoy some decent-looking weather. Couple of little flies in the ointment floating about, but we'll pick them out slowly [gestures doing so].

You might wake up in the morning and go 'uuurgh,' [pulls face, gestures holding curtains].

This guy [the high], it's almost like you pump it up with some air [gestures doing so - see pic] and it just starts building, see how it's doing that? That means it wants to sort of just weigh anchor, sit and hang about for a couple of days.

Weigh anchor? Are you sure?

Auckland
The high, he more or less comes around and he sort of pulls up a chair and he says, 'I'm gonna stay for a while,' and he does so.

Christchurch
We've got a couple of weak weather fronts just sort of dancing their way about.

Wellington
Some decent-looking weather for the outside, you might wanna even think about where the picnic basket is or just have a packed lunch outside.

Notice how the high just builds back. It's almost like you pump it with some air [gestures doing so, followed by an expanding gesture]. There it goes - and it's like dropping its anchor and saying, 'I'm gonna stay for a couple of days.'

The video forecasts are available on YouTube - but, considering they've deleted ALL their old uploaded videos, I'm guessing they're probably only going to be there for the same limited time they're available on MetService.

23rd March

National
All these bits and pieces of fronts, weather systems, almost like bits of spaghetti.

Auckland
You probably already put a nice little check mark [tick gesture] next to the day that was nice and sunny - it's finally coming.

Then we get to Monday and you can almost imagine the sound of all the picnic baskets being filled out of the cupboard and being used ['pulled' makes more sense here but it sounded like 'filled' to me].

Christchurch
The weather over the past week, you'd probably like to take it and stick it out in the back garden and leave it or bury it.

Wellington
We take all these weather fronts, vmmm, move them out of the way [gestures doing so] and we finally say to the high pressure that's been sitting, hiding way off in the west, 'come on, build in,' [beckons it in].

I think by Monday we'll all be looking for that picnic basket and say, 'yes, finally,' some fine, sunny weather for many. That's the weather for now [point], more at MetService-[nod]-dot-com.

22nd March

National
We can finally see a little bit of a light at the end of the tunnel [holds hand up to eye in a telescope-ish gesture]

A weather system is finally moving:
It's almost giving something a bit of a kick up the backside [gestures doing so].

Auckland
Monday:
So, yes, that's the day you probably had ticked on the calendar [ticking gesture].

3 News
Dan explains the recent wild weather.
A stuck weather system:
It's almost like imagining, you go to the supermarket, you've got the conveyor belt of food and somebody puts a big, long sausage across the middle and it just messes up the conveyor belt.

You think of rain when it comes through almost like you take a garden hose, you spray it in one spot, that spot's gonna get really wet. But if you go like that [moves arms slowly from one side to the other as if watering] with a hose, it'll move across areas and it won't last as long.

Fog:
It's been very curious; anyone who's been in Wellington, people might've been on the road walking round like this [moves arms around in swimming-esque gesture] because it was literally- in the UK we call it pea soup.

That tropical air, you could almost go like that [we can't see Dan's gesture for a webcam view of Wellington] and it was so juicy.

That tropical air cools, it reaches its saturation point and, pfff, you've got this fog.

The weather system:
It's stretching out, it's almost like having a piece of blue plasticine, you stretch it out, elongate it [gestures doing so].

Amazing!

21st March

Severe Weather Update
A weather system:
It won't sit and linger like a car stuck in the mud on a muddy afternoon somewhere.

Then it moves through, yep, there it goes, bye bye, go away.

National
Our ridge of high pressure, that is easing slightly east, so it's not sitting there and blocking it saying, 'ha ha, you can't come through' [see pic], so that'll be a bit of good news. This area of wet weather that's coming from the north, that'll be moving through at a pretty good pace. It's almost like having a hose, you go like that [gestures spraying the ground], you're gonna spray the ground [or around?] as opposed to spraying it in one place, where that bit of ground gets quite wet.

Remember we've had this low ... that's been sitting there just like a car stuck in the mud, vvv [spins both hands in circles], it's not gonna move.

Auckland
The low:
It's been lingering around for days like a lost little soul.

That guy [the low], yeah, he's going away, bye bye, get out of the way.

There's been this broad upper low that's been spinning around like a car stuck in the mud.

Christchurch
So you wake up in the morning and it might be you pull back the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so] and go, 'ooh, wow,' a different start to the day.

Wellington
Notice the wind arrows, not the pink, mean, ugly salmon that are the big, strong winds.

Friday:
Plan maybe the picnic, you never even know.

20th March

Severe Weather Update
The winds have been very strong because of the low squeezing up against the high, like an accordion coming close together [brings fists together].

National
Winds slowly easing:
It's almost like opening up an accordion [gestures doing so].

Auckland
The low:
It's more or less been stuck, like we've taken a pin and gone like that [jabs finger at map as if it's a pin].

Friday:
That's the dry day, put a tick next to that one [ticking gesture]

I keep forgetting to add the link to MetService TV here because I tweet it almost every day. If you're not following me on Twitter - feel free to do so. It's pretty much like this blog, but without the screengrabs ;-)

TVNZ
Here's Dan on TVNZ Breakfast talking about the severe weather.

19th March

National
We've got a busy week of weather. It's one of those weeks where you'd want to take a big sheet of paper [draws outline of paper in air] and mark down each day [writing gesture] and each one'll be a different weather system.

The big lump ... just barreling its way in, like a bull in a china shop of sorts.

The wind arrows:
The pinker ones, like a school of salmon, they're the ones to watch for.

This low that I mentioned, he's almost like one of those house guests that comes and he doesn't want to leave, even three days later.

It is one of those weeks, keep the scorecard handy with all the different weather systems about. That's the weather for now [point - see pic], more at MetService- [nod] -dot-com.

Auckland
You see that big lump of white there, like I've gone mad with some white crayon [scribbling gesture].

A fair bit of moisture, like having a big, heavy, laden sponge and squeezing out the moisture [gestures doing so].

The low:
It's just sort of taking its time, plodding about [plods].

Christchurch
We'll have a few different weather systems moving across New Zealand for the week, you almost need a scorecard [scorecard gesture] to keep an eye on them.

Look at the mass of blue there, that's almost like I've been busy with my blue crayon, of sorts.

Wellington
Tuesday is not one of those days where you'd lay out the blanket and have a picnic in the park.

The low is still sitting there and instead of him easing through, being a nice little chap, he's just lingering and loitering about, so the high skips by.

12th March

National
Notice how the lines just sort of creep in, it's almost like you stick an air hose to it, chhh [gestures holding hose] and the balloon, the high pressure, just builds in.

Three degrees, yeah, maybe even a night for the fire.

Whenever you see the high just sort of building in like that you know it's almost like dropping anchor [gestures doing so] and it's gonna stay for a while.

For most of us it's almost like you take a bit of glue and you stick it on the back of the high [gestures doing so], boom, leave it there.

Auckland
See how the pressure rises, almost like you stick an air hose to it and [expanding gesture plus air hose sound effect] it just builds. And with high pressure it more or less just sort of sits in place like a big fat lazy thing, it keeps all the weather systems at bay.

The high, he's just sort of sitting in place saying, [burly gesture - see pic] 'ha! I'm hanging out for a couple of days.'

Christchurch
You might even be tempted to find the old picnic basket and dust it off.

Notice how the high just sort of nestles his way in and he just sort of sites there and he just says, 'I'm gonna hang around for a couple of days,' almost like putting a pin in the back of the H [jabs finger at the H on map] and leave it there, it just sort of just sits.

Wellington
This might be one of those weeks where many of us sort of pick the days [scorecard gesture] and plan the old packed lunches.

That ridge of high pressure, instead of just doing a glancing blow and drifting about, it's almost like somebody takes an air hose [gestures holding one] and just fills it up and just goes, 'vvvv' [expanding gesture] like that.

9th March

National
We've got a nice ridge of high pressure that's just sort of come in and said, 'I'm here for a couple of days.'

Instead of all of us opening up the window [gestures doing so] and saying, 'ahhh, lovely bright blue sky,' don't be surprised ... still having some of that cloud.

You're gonna be out there maybe washing the car, or maybe the neighbour will.

Then we work into Sunday and you're thinking, well, the neighbours are coming round on Sunday.

The high, where's he going? Oh, hang on, come back, he's easing away.

Auckland
Ridge of high pressure has sort of built in and said 'I'm here for a couple of days.' [see pic]

The high is a decent-sized one as well, just sort of sitting there almost like you put some glue on the back of it [gestures doing so].

Monday, head back to work, yeah [umbrella gesture], probably with the umbrella in hand. That's the weather for now [point], more at metservice-[nod]-dot-com.

Christchurch
Don't be surprised, you might wake up in the morning and you might go [parting curtains gesture, pulls face], 'oooh!' A greyer start.

Wellington
Lovely-looking high just sort of sitting there and he's like a big fat bloke [burly gesture] just saying, 'ha ha, I'm here, hanging out for a couple of days.'

See the squeeze of the lines, that's been that nagging sou'easter. See how it opens up, like you pull apart an accordion [gestures doing so], aaahhh, there we go.

If you're thinking, of the days of the week, which is the better day? You might just wanna lean towards Saturday.

The high, we almost want to grab him and bring him back but it's said, 'I've had enough, I'm going,' [waves - see pic] and it does.

8th March

National
High pressure:
Notice as he builds in he's almost like a big fat bloke building his way in [different fat gesture from yesterday - see pic].

We've got our ridge of high pressure and he's just sitting here saying, 'yeah, I'm here, I'm just gonna hang around for a couple of days.

Auckland
The high, it's just sort of like a big bloke saying, 'ha ha, I'm here!' [kind of a burly gesture].

Monday, we'll all probably be out there with the umbrellas at the bus stop.

Like the new outlook summary - see pic.

Christchurch
Look at the size, the centre of these highs. Sometimes they're just sort of flabby things, this one just sort of building in [expanding gesture] and just sort of almost taking over and saying, 'I'm gonna be here for a couple of days' [same burly gesture as before but Dan seemed to be almost bouncing up and down].

Wellington
High pressure squeeeezing up [brings hands together] against a weather system ... that has been giving us some windy weather, that'll slowly ease, almost like having an accordion [fists together] you open it up over the next couple of days [fists apart].

High pressure is really sort of muscling its way in [gestures doing so].

Over the next twenty-four hours it's almost like an accordion and you just slowly open it up [gestures doing so].

The high just sort of takes over and says, 'yep, I'm here for a couple of days, I'm gonna hang around,' and he does.

We start off the course of the morning expecting to pull back the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so] and go, 'WOW!' There might be some morning cloud.

If you're thinking, of the two days, Saturday, Sunday, Saturday, Sunday [points to hand]; Saturday, I'd pick that day for the most part.

Really wanted to get a screengrab of the 'WOW', but the video quality deteriorated and couldn't get a decent picture. Shame.

7th March

National
A couple of different weather fronts and one big fat high affecting our weather over the next couple of days, almost like two skinny blokes and one big fat guy [arms out at sides indicating a person of some width - see pic. Let's call it the fat gesture ;-)].

The high just sort of builds in like a big fat bloke sort of saying [fat gesture], 'I'm here, I'm gonna stay.'

Paihia, it might not be the best picnic day.

Look at this, it's almost like you take some air and you go [balloon-pumping gesture and sound-effect], you build the ridge of high pressure.

Auckland
That first weather front there losing its oomph, you almost pull it apart like a piece of string [stretching gesture].

The high just sort of says, 'well, I'm gonna take over, it's my turn.'

Christchurch
See the lumps of blue, like we've gone mad with the blue crayon [scribbling gesture].

Don't be surprised, open up the bedroom curtains [gestures doing so], you might go [pulls face - see pic], 'uuurgh, gosh.'

The high:
He'll more or less park himself there and he's a decent-looking high, just sort of going like that [fat gesture] saying, 'I'm here to stay.'

6th March

National
What is left of this little weather front, we've pulled all the energy out of it. It's like some blue plasticine and you go, brrrp [stretching gesture], like that.

Christchurch
There'll be a good southerly change, you'll notice that. Gonna be out through Wednesday and then, fyooom [parting curtains-esque gesture], you'll see that through the course of the afternoon.

5th March

Severe Weather Update
When you look at weather systems when they have that nasty-looking comma shape [draws one in the air], that's when they mean business, like we were talking about the analogy where you take a piece of string, wrap it round a top [gestures doing so - see pic] and, fmmm, you pull it [gestures doing so], off it goes.

National
We'll have this weather system staggering through. It's like an elongated piece of blue plasticine, so you pull it apart [gestures doing so], there's the band of moisture.

Auckland
The thing here, it's like a piece of blue plasticine, you pull it apart [gestures doing so, blows raspberry], like that, it thins out.

Wellington
Some of us might even grab a picnic basket or two over the next day or so.

2nd March

Usually, serious weather = serious Dan. But not today. New Zealand may be expecting a 'weather bomb', but Dan was on fire:

National
It's one of those weather forecasts you'll probably want to look away, it's pretty ugly.

Different pieces coming together, almost like imagine baking a cake, you put in some eggs, you put in some sugar, you mix it all around [gestures doing so], that is the cake.

The low:
The centre of it almost looks like a bit of a dartboard.

These circles just start growing and growing, that is the low deepening, like you take a tip, you wrap string round it [gestures doing so] and, chmmm [lawnmower-string gesture], off you go.

Wind arrows:
Watch these bigger ones here, like a school of salmon coming up for the season.

It's not picnic weather.

Eventually the winds will ease:
It's like an accordion, we just open it up [gestures doing so - see pic], nyeeep, there it goes.

Wellington
It looks like the plans for Saturday will more than likely be inside with a good book [see pic] or perhaps just heading to the cinema.

The weather system:
It's gonna get a good kick up the backside from some upper-level energy.

Voom, like you take a top, wrap some string round it [gestures doing so] and shiiing [that's a very poor approximation of the actual sound he made - with accompanying lawnmower-string gesture], off it goes.

Referring (I think) to the wind arrows:
Here's how it looks. It's almost like we've been to the fish market and we've bought lots of fish and they're just covering the map, but this is in fact just the strong winds, obviously.

Again, about the wind arrows:
Look at that, those colourful ones there. You'd think I'd been out with some markers [painting-type gesture], just marking them up [see pic].

We take the troublemaker and say, 'go on, goodbye, go away,' and it will eventually. And then, we bring in high pressure and notice the lines, very close together [puts both fists close together]. They do open up, like we pull the accordion apart [accordion gesture].

Monday, you wanna put a tick next to it [ticking gesture], it's a decent-looking day with the high building in. That's the weather for now, more at Metservice-dot-com.

Auckland(-ish)
The Auckland and Severe weather videos were equally awesome, but I wasn't able to watch during the day, and by the evening they'd gone. From the very hastily scribbled notes I made before dashing off to work this morning, there was a recommendation to "stay in with a good book," and to "run out and grab the paper with two hands" and, always advisable, bad weather or not, "couple of hands on the steering wheel as well."

Brilliant.

1st March

Severe Weather Update
Look at this thing, it looks like it's caught the red-eye from Sydney and, zhoom, straight across. And look how it deepens as well as you get the upper-level energy rotating into it, like the lawnmower on Saturday morning, you pull the string [gestures doing so], vyooom, off it goes.

National
It's almost like he's hopped on a red-eye flight from Sydney.

Whenever you see a low that just sort of winds up, it's almost like you think of on a Saturday morning you take the lawnmower string, fyooom [gestures pulling it], you pull it off.

It's not going to be picnic weather, how ever you want to slice it as we go into Saturday. Look at the wind arrows as well; the pink ones, like a school of salmon swimming around, those are the strong winds.

Auckland
The next guy, look at him, he's not wasted time. It's like he's caught a red-eye flight from Sydney and, jing, here he comes.

Wherever you see a low that really just starts to curl around like that [traces outline with finger], it's like taking a top, you pull a string [gestures doing so], fiiing! Off it goes.

This video stopped abruptly mid-way through.

Christchurch
See how the low is deepening, like you pull the string on a top [gestures doing so] and fyyyng ,off it goes.

Wellington
The weather's been a bit of a roller-coaster ride and we're still on the ride and there's gonna be a few ups and downs [roller-coaster gesture] over the next couple of days.

Ah look at this, that's the next weather system. He's not hanging about, barrelling straight his way in [yes, that is what he said].

Friday, it's one of those in between days, it's not sort of the day where you'll be outside [looks up] saying, 'ah, it's great.'

It just barrels its way in, it's almost like a bull in a china shop, it doesn't really care where it's going, it just barrels through. And look at this low, whenever you see a low just wind up and deepen and curl like that, like you pull a string on a top [gestures doing so], you know they mean business.

Wind arrows:
Notice the pink ones wrapping in like a school of salmon, swimming up the river.

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.