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

Weathercocks

Weathercocks is a UK-based weather podcast offering an irreverent yet informative look at all things weather. In Episode 11 they named their top 10 weather presenters and Dan was fairly high up on the list and named 'most enthusiastic'.

It came as a surprise that one of the hosts had never heard of several of the people in the top 10. Never heard of Carol Kirkwood? Really?!

Anyway, it's worth a listen, even if just for that section, from around 23 minutes in: Weathercocks Episode 11.

By Episode 12 the rankings have been re-evaluated and Corb has a more suitable position in the charts (from just before 44m in).

That's Dan Corbett for now, Down Under

The Dominion Post has published an interview with/article about Dan this weekend, with a few little snippets of information which are new even to me. However, given the inaccuracies in it about this blog, perhaps the other 'facts' are not so true either.

There is a cult (well, a fanblog) in the UK that streams our weather broadcasts, out of season, in devotion to TV One weatherman Dan Corbett.

Streaming Corb's forecasts? I WISH! It's hard enough just to watch them before they vanish into the ether, let alone stream them. Gah!

The former BBC weather presenter's quirky screen style – all fingers, anthropomorphism, and advice – has hooked fans here too, as well as earned the odd comparison to a gecko climbing a concrete wall.

Unfortunately, also true.

On-screen he admonishes the "big mean uglies" that disrupt picnicking plans, and coos almost proudly if "Mother Nature finally read the emails for some decent Christmas weather". He's described trough lines across the Pacific as "sort of dancing about like a blue sausage", referred to ducks clutching umbrellas and donning coats if it's raining hard, and is quick to tell you when it's "time to put the barbecue back in the garage".

SWOON!

His turns of phrase have been dubbed danisms by 'That's the Weather, For Now' – his dedicated fanblog – and are all ad-libbed on set.

Calling them Dan-isms (capital letter is important, hyphen unnecessary) wasn't my idea - seem to remember having read it online somewhere.

"It's important for someone like me, who's in your living room just a few minutes in the evening, to conjure up mental images that will stick – otherwise it's pointless. People would turn to look at their partner at the end of a bulletin and ask, 'so what's the weather tomorrow?'"

Conjuring up the mental image of Dan in my living room. Quick, best have a tidy up.

The whole article is worth a read. Very slightly different print versions exist (the title of the one in the Dominion Post being the title of this blogpost), all with similar amazing photos of Dan. Can't find a way to link to the articles on PressReader, but here are the photos:

pic.twitter.com/dlAS4fNaxy

— ttwfn (@ttwfn) September 17, 2016

19th August

Media Ocre Awards: A match made in television heaven
Dan gets another mention in the latest Media Ocre video. From this article in the New Zealand Herald about it:

One News' beloved weatherman Dan Corbett has earned a reputation as the most animated man on television - and now the team at Media Ocre team have found his perfect partner.

Holly Pollock hosts the informercial segments on TV3's The Cafe and may be the only person on air who can match Dan's boundless energy. Could love be in the air? We can only dream.

Relax guys, he's married.

Link to video. Nonsense starts around 1m 50s in.

3rd August

Jack Frost, Old Man Winter and Mother Nature team up to spoil supermarket salad supplies at Countdown
Gem of a Dan-ism on One News' website:

Commenting on the wintry conditions, ONE News meteorologist Dan Corbett says it's as if Jack Frost, Old Man Winter and Mother Nature have said "let's have a great big house party".

"They've ganged together, they've got lots of food and drink and they're going to stick around," he said.

He added Jack Frost doesn't care about salads: "he'd prefer ice cubes".

National Treasure

It warms my heart to know that the Kiwis have begun to appreciate the enormous genius of Dan Corbett; twice in the past week he's been described as a National Treasure.

Media Ocre Awards: Billy Crystal hijacks One News
Remember the Billy Crystal incident? In a video embedded within this article in the New Zealand Herald about the most awkward television moments of the week, Dan earns his first National Treasure accolade from Alan Morrison and Rowan Bettjeman:

The One News team were left stunned on set last week, when comedy legend Billy Crystal hijacked the live broadcast.

Crystal, who was due to appear on Seven Sharp, decided to explore the rest of the studio, wandering into shot with weatherman Dan Corbett and visiting Simon Dallow and Wendy Petrie behind the newsdesk.

But it's weatherman Corbett who is the standout star of this week's Media Ocre Awards, earning himself a special tribute montage for his always sunny demeanour.

Here's the 'special tribute montage' - (skip to about 1m 55s)

What a man, what a National Treasure.

Indeed.

TVNZ weatherman Dan Corbett officially becomes a Kiwi
Another great feature about Dan in NZ's Womens Weekly, this time about Mr & Mrs Corbett officially becoming citizens of New Zealand. Along with some great photos, another 'tribute montage'-style video, there are some choice quotes:

The sparky Englishman can now be a national treasure as he and his wife become "official" New Zealanders.

The pair, who often whip up picnic lunches together and then set off exploring, say they’ll continue to make their way around the country, taking in its beauty.

Dan says his mother has been over and there are rumblings that a few cousins might like to visit. Now he just has to make sure he can get the weather right to show them our country.
“I may just put a nicely worded email in to Mother Nature about that one,” he says with a grin.

SunLive

Mayor Island Survivor

Any mention of elections and I can see – through amazing new technology installed on this newspaper page – that your eyes are rolled and yawns are stifled.

Because most people would rather listen to re-runs of Dan Corbett's weather forecasts than pay any attention to wannabe mayoral candidates.

Most people would rather listen to re-runs of Dan Corbett's weather forecasts on any given occasion. Most reasonable people, anyway.

market reports and boredom

Twice this week there have been unusual mentions of Dan in NZ news publications.

Firstly, in the Business section of Stuff:
Hanging in through market shift will pay off

January 2016. The sun was out in force, the winds were gentle and you quietly turn the page of a newspaper in a deck chair. Boom the storm hits.

If Dan Corbett had to present a market report his arms would fly off his body.

Black clouds set in over New Zealand and the UK with the markets down 2 to 3 per cent in 31 short days. Rain wet the Aussie summer with the All Ords off more than 4.5 per cent. A cyclone over Japan saw a 6 per cent fall in the Nikkei and snowstorms in both Europe and the US gave a 5 per cent tumble.

Even with context it makes little sense.

Secondly, an opinion piece on parenting (by one of those Radio Hauraki DJs) in the New Zealand Herald:
Boring your kids opens door to brighter future

Boredom made us who we are. I believe it's the brutal boredom that motivates us to do amazing things.

But how do you force extreme boredom on your children?

Making them watch the news is a good start. Especially the weather. We adults find Dan Corbett informative and amusing, but kids would rather gouge their eyes out than listen to a list of temperatures in towns they aren't even in. Force your kids to watch the news. The boredom will send them rushing out into the world.

Yeah Matt, THE NEWS, not the weather. That's the best bit. 'Informative and amusing' indeed.

Even if you don't find these mentions of Dan strange, it's proof of his status as a household name in NZ.

My Holidays

No, not MY holidays, but Dan's holidays - an article in the New Zealand Herald, My holidays: Dan Corbett in which Dan answers questions about travel tips and experiences.

There was an easter egg for TTWFN readers/followers in his answer to the question Best get-away-from-it-all place to escape to and why?

We have a mountain lair in Southern Arizona. It has incredible views of 11 mountain ranges, fabulous weather and is a great place to relax, get grounded and really feel at one with the land again.

Mountain lair! No mention of the falcon though.

(BTW, Dan; my WA highlights were the Pinnacles, Monkey Mia, the drive down the coast to Cape Leeuwin, then back up to Perth again from Albany. Stick to the speed limits!)

Women's Weekly

Previously on TTWFN, Stuff reported some information gleaned from Women's Weekly about Mr and Mrs Corbett's wedding anniversary. Turns out, the snippet was taken from a much longer, lovingly crafted article. Read it and smile.

Dan Corbett: I fell in love on the job by Alice O'Connell

The tight-knit duo met in 1997 when they both worked at the BBC in London. Helen had a job in the make-up department and Dan was the new weatherman who liked to give her a bit of cheek while getting his face powdered.

“The first time she got her brush out, I made a real grimace and said, ‘Is this supposed to sting?’ And she knew right then she had a troublemaker on her hands,” he smiles.

“It did take us a while, though!” admits Helen, who said they kept their romance a secret for a very long time. “Some people didn’t even know we were together until we said we were getting married!” But the pair, who say their favourite thing is spending time with one another, soon found themselves caught up in the London rat-race.

“We were travelling an hour back and forth to London, and working opposite shifts,” says Dan. “It got to a point where we’d get out the calendar and find we had two nights a month to have dinner together.”

Brace yourselves:

Deciding it was time for a change, the couple set their sights on New Zealand. “We’d been here on holiday and always loved it, so we applied for residency,” says Dan. Now, nearly four years later, they say New Zealand definitely feels like home.

Mention of the blog!

Do an internet search of Dan’s name and you’ll find many fan pages, including “That’s the Weather, For Now” which features pictures, videos and quotes by the presenter. “They call them ‘Danisms’!” he laughs.

But he’s certainly pleased there are people who enjoy his style, and Dan says he’s very much enjoying his new Kiwi lifestyle with Helen.

“We have a few paddocks overlooking the bay, and can wake up to cows on the lawn and birds chirping,” smiles Dan. “We can discover a new beach for a picnic or a kayak. It’s just beautiful - especially if I can get the weather right!”

You should read the full article on the Women's Weekly website because the accompanying photos are equally divine. A heartwarming must-read for any Dan fan.

19th October

One News at 6pm

The highs have just been sitting there and glancing, almost like coming to visit and saying [waves], 'hi.'

Seventeen and a nice day. It's like a picnic lunch sort of day.

It's up and down [roller coaster gesture] the weather with spring. Mother Nature and her roller coaster ride [unclear] going around and you say, 'I wanna get off!'

Vined, below.

Stuff.co.nz 'Gossip Mags'
In an article titled Gossip mags: Are Taylor Swift and Calvin Harris getting married? there's a photo and a little snippet of info about Dan taken from Women's Weekly:

In other wedding-related news, TVNZ weatherman Dan Corbett and his wife Helen are celebrating 15 years of marriage, the Woman's Weekly reports.

The UK-born pair, who now live in Warkworth, met in 1997 while working for the BBC in London. Corbett was a young weatherman, and Helen was the makeup artist.

Corbett joked to the Woman's Weekly that on the day of the couple's wedding in Ireland, it unexpectedly rained.

"The priest came rushing into the chapel and said, 'Ladies and gentlemen, I've just had a call from the BBC that Dan Corbett is fired because he can't even get the weather right on his wedding day!'"

Congratulations on your wedding anniversary, Mr and Mrs Corb!

24th August

One News at 6pm

The high just sort of builds. When you see it going and building [expanding gesture] like a big air balloon you know it's going to sit - and it does. It sits and builds and it says, 'Thursday, I'm gonna hang around.'

A wet start to the week but sunshine on the way
You can see the mass of cloud out west, we've had the wet weather over parts of the South Island, the whole thing, like a big grey sausage, will bend its way in.

Met Office BBC Weather saga
With the news that the BBC won't be renewing the Met Office's contract to provide weather forecasts, there have been a couple of mentions of Dan in the press; an old photo in The Huffington Post (along with the 'how many of these forecasters can you name?' quiz from a couple of years ago, in which Dan features) and a paragraph in the Guardian (another Jack Seale special)...

The king of weather presenting as twisted TV gold is, however, ex-BBC man Dan Corbett, now plying his trade in New Zealand. His Stanley Unwin delivery won him huge affection from British viewers. “Nice day for the afternoon,” a typical Corbett bulletin would say, “maybe a picnic or so perhaps in Northern Ireland, into Scotland and 26 for Cardiff.” Only a tiny minority of point-missing viewers used to complain that Corbett left them confused about what the weather would be like.

King of weather presenting indeed.

14th July

Due to ongoing technology issues, a fair few forecasts have been missed.

One News at 6pm
For those of you on school holidays it looks like Wednesday's gonna be the inside day, so think of it already, maybe the board games, the books, something like that.

And then you see all the weather systems just gathering, almost like gathering round the campfire, you say, 'what's going on?'

At the end...
Dan: It's the raincoats, it's the board games tomorrow but as we go to the end of the week, quieter, but Saturday looks a bit wet and yucky as well.

Presenter: Come round and you can take my kids for the school holiday, alright Dan?

Dan: We'll have a puppet show or something.

Presenter: [laughs] Yeah, how about that, guys?

There's a Vine of that one, below.

EDIT SEPTEMBER 2015
There's a video below too.

Otago Daily Times
Honesty is still the best policy by Roy Colbert
If honesty is the best policy, I shan't hold back.

After a long, rambling beginning:

I never discuss the weather...

Yet then proceeds to do so.

...but this winter has had us in her most icy grip recently.

And yet, television weather people beam at us as if they are releasing Lotto results and we have all won a prize.

Why is this?

Thundering disasters and incomprehensible mass slayings are delivered with sombre faces, but the weather may be worse than both of these and yet its twists and turns into the minus are presented with unbounded joy.

No meteorologist is better/worse at this than TV One's Daniel Corbett.

We discovered this magnificent frontman late last year, I am almost tempted to run the column again, as the nation is slobbering on to him now.

Congratulations on your discovery, Columbus. But no slobbering on Corb please, he's a national treasure.

The New Zealand Herald's Alex Casey wrote a particularly fine piece.

*cough*

So Daniel, with his giant expressive hands and fingers, directs his digits with a smile so friendly you would ask if him, were he selling used cars, is there a discount for bulk?

Erm... o-kay.

So the man is brilliant at his job.

Quite so.

I don't expect it is unreasonable to expect honesty, as well.

Weather people should deliver their prognosi with the accuracy it deserves.

Think of the farmers, noses pressed against the screen, will we be moving stock tomorrow, oh, Dan is smiling, all is well.

Let us, then, describe honest weather predictions for the four main centres.

"Dunedin. Oh my. Oh my, my, my, my, my. I am sorry, Dunedin (runs expressive finger across throat as if slitting), it is going to be stunningly cold, ice as black as licorice and a wind chill figure of 304. I would rather eat my left ball than go out in this."

Wait. What?!

"Christchurch. Good grief, if you thought Dunedin was going to be cold, try Christchurch. (stops speaking altogether and looks despairingly at the heavens above, thinking of Obadiah). Dunedin will be like sitting naked on a pot belly stove compared to what's in store for you Cantabrians tomorrow.

Umm...

"Those with colds don't even get out of bed, what runs from the nose will turn to icicles in a nanosecond, you will finish up looking like Baldrick that time in Blackadder when he stuck chopsticks up his nostrils.

Weren't they pencils?

"Wellington. You poor, poor bastards. (Falls into a half-crouch flailing his expressive arms against the sky).

Unlikely.

"Vicious powerful winds will whisk everyone under 70kg out to sea. This will be prolonged until the fat lady sings in nine-part harmony. Which she won't ever do.

"Auckland. (Falls to the ground and beats head against the floor, whirling his giant expressive fingers and hands like three sets of helicopter blades fighting over a coffee pavlova). Are you REALLY considering John Banks as your next mayor?"

Sigh.
Just seems like a bit of a rehash of Alistair McGowan's 'even Daniel Corbett lies' routine.

26th March

Feeble front brings showers
See the high there? He's just trying to jump into the picture and say, 'hold on, me first.'

The Spinoff
Further Dan-appreciation from The Spinoff's Alex Casey; Dancing With The Stars: Who Could Shimmy Their Way Onto Our TVs? - a contestant wishlist for what we in the UK know as Strictly Come Dancing.

Daniel Corbett
Love this guy. Love. This. Guy. He has proven every night during the weather that he has the moves to divide an entire nation, and even magically bring on both rain and shine. His dance partner? The North Island (the South Island would not have a bar of his nonsense). If TV1 have an issue letting him go, Hickey would step up to the plate in a flash.

Signature move: Spirit fingers, obviously. And a rain dance. And the moonwalk. Because of tides.

Wait... what's that link in the text there...? Something about Dan which has completely passed me by?!

Turns out it's a summary of the comments left on the slightly unkind piece she wrote about Dan back in January...

Blame it on the Weatherman: The People Have Spoken
Brace yourself for some Dan-bashing if you click on that link.

The pro-Corbett camp were warm and welcoming in their responses to our new spidery shaman, commending his shadow puppet hands and well-fitted suits:

"He’s adorable, let’s keep him, with a nibble here, a nibble there." – Grizelda

"He is a breath of fresh air. A true eccentric who isn’t doing a Jim Hickey impersonation. Rare." – yourcrazy

"We thought it was just our family that sits down each night filled with anticipation of what the meteorolamagican is going to delight us with!" – Kate Alice Bruning

"We never watched the weather before but now we all sit in front of the tele re-enacting his hand gestures. Like a tai chi class in the living room really!" – Em

Through an in-depth series of tally charts, calculations and scribbling on blackboards, I boiled down what middle New Zealand thinks about their new rain man:

So there we have it. Despite the cold front of haters moving in, Corbett has endured like a suit-wearing lizard in an endless blizzard.

Bit of a narrow margin of victory there, but that's the Marmite effect for you. I am ever-confident that Dan's presenting genius will win them over in the end.

24th October

One News
6pm:
It's a cold night, Jack Frost comes to visit.

6.55pm

You'll be out with the dog in the morning [dog-walking gesture - see pic] and he'll say, 'no, extra layers'

There's video, below.

Jim Hickey
This announcement mysteriously seemed to surprise almost everyone in New Zealand; Dan's colleague Jim Hickey is set to retire at the end of the year.

Since 1994 he has worked alongside fellow senior weathercaster Karen Olsen - a role she will now share with former BBC weatherman Daniel Corbett.

The comments on the Stuff article about Jim's retirement are worth a read, particularly the ones relating to Dan. For example, kanban says:

I hope Dan Corbett settles down a bit though if he comes on, he is so animated that I am concerned he might prematurely wear out the leds on my tv :)

TV Guide

Here are some selected snippets from an interview with Dan which originally appeared in the print edition of a TV guide in New Zealand.

Dan Corbett reigns again

Dan Corbett should know which way the wind is blowing. The man has dedicated his professional life to studying (and talking about) the weather, but even he is surprised by how quickly it can change in New Zealand.

"Mother Nature likes to play a card game with us, but she always changes the deck. You think she's playing with 52 cards, but she's actually got a few extra cards hidden in her sleeve."

Corbett is looking forward to spending more time in the controlled environment of the television studios, working alongside Jim Hickey as part of TVNZ's news and weather team.

It is taking Corbett back to his roots. He was a weatherman for the BBC for more than a dozen years, gaining a cult following for his colourful and occasionally eccentric phrasing. (UK band Cassetteboy's single Brackish Water consists entirely of snippets of his quips.)

"It's great being back in broadcasting. Once it's in your blood, it stays there," Corbett says.

"I'm excited about piecing all of the pieces together, and analysing the weather models and creating a story. Things are changing so fast with technology. Nowadays you can get a lot of information on your smartphone right down to the exact weather pattern hovering above your neighbour's house.

"When I started working at the BBC, some of my colleagues were still using magnetic symbols on a board for their weather graphic."

As well as a change in job, Corbett is also getting used to a change in weather: he moved from Wellington to Auckland last month.

Read the full article.

ONE News

From ONE News:

Meteorologist Daniel Corbett has been announced as the latest member of the ONE News Weather team.

Corbett made a name for himself in New Zealand during his time with MetService where he became known for his quirky approach to weather forecasting.

TVNZ's Head of News and Current Affairs John Gillespie says Corbett will be a huge asset to the weather team.

"He's worked all round the world and has a genuine passion for weather, and an enthusiasm that translates through the screen," he said.

Corbett is excited to return to broadcasting, saying: "I'm really looking forward to getting back into it, and I can't wait to join the amazing ONE News team with Jim Hickey and Karen Olsen."

"Doing weather in New Zealand is different to anywhere else in the world. The country sits in between the tropics and Antarctica, surrounded by ocean which means we get these huge contrasts - bringing intense, dramatic weather. It doesn't come in small doses - it really throws everything at us including the kitchen sink!"

Viewers will see Daniel Corbett on ONE News Weather from Monday.

Auckland Today
There's an additional snippet of news in this article from Auckland Today:

Corbett would be "part of the mix" with Hickey and Olsen, TVNZ publicist Sara Cairney said.

He would make about four appearances a week on a mixture of weekday, weekend and possibly other news shows.

New Zealand Herald
This piece in the NZH doesn't add much apart from a great photo I don't recall seeing before and:

A TVNZ spokeswoman said Corbett would be sharing shifts with Olsen and Hickey.

No one's hours were due to be cut back "in the near future," she said.

On Twitter, @ker_fuffle has already investigated whether we can watch online; the main evening forecast is uploaded to the TVNZ weather website and viewable from the UK.

An approaching El Nino

Is weather journalism a new direction for Dan? An article about El Nino appeared in today's Hawke's Bay Today, written by a Dan Corbett.

Find it too much of a coincidence to believe it was written by somebody else with the same name and a detailed knowledge of meteorology.

There are no obvious Dan-isms in the article to fully give the game away, but reading it very much put me in mind of those pieces he used to do for the Weather Show on the BBC News Channel.

That's the weather, for now.

From MetService's announcement on Facebook:

Dan has decided to take an extended break to travel overseas before deciding on his next career move. We wish him all the very best and will miss his fantastic one-liners and amazing ability to entertain (while communicating important information!)

Some serious Dan-appreciation going on in the comments there.

Dominion Post
Colourful Corbett leaving MetService

The man who made talking about the weather an art form is leaving MetService.

Dan Corbett is today having his last day at MetService, where he has worked since 2011 – explaining the weather in colourful terms that people with no knowledge of meteorology can understand.

A "rip-snorting southerly" that slammed into Wellington last June was "like a freight train without a driver", a low stalled in the Tasman Sea delivering warm air to New Zealand was like a "like a car in mud", and a fine day in spring has been "the kind of fine day you'll want to grab with both hands and say 'it's mine'."

Corbett – a Brit who previously had been a television weather forecaster for BBC in Britain and the United States – plans to take his family travelling, then to embark on "the next phase of life, whatever that happens to be".

Arriving in Wellington in 2011, he was soon in the middle of extreme weather events, including snow falling in Courtenay Place and The Terrace in Wellington that year, then last year’s June storms which created havoc around Wellington, including at Corbett’s home, where a tree crashed into his shed.

Even after covering tornadoes in the United States, New Zealand proved exciting in the meteorology game – especially compared to Britain’s bland weather.

"Here, you get some really, really mean weather."

His colourful turn of phrase was an effort to make the weather understandable to all, he said.

For example, rather than talking about an "intense trough" he would also explain it as the sort of weather "all the ducks at the duck pond will be smiling".

There's a great video compilation of Dan-isms at the top of that article which is well worth a watch.

Campbell Live
Celebrating three years of Daniel Corbett
Wow. A feature on a nightly national news programme. Imagine THAT!

Whena Owen interviews Dan in his last hours at MetService as he is clearing his desk.

Over some footage of him at the BBC:

"Dan came here to the New Zealand MetService from the BBC where he had a bit of a cult following."

HAD? He still has, Ms Owen.

We hear Dan is going travelling around the world with his wife:

"Probably spend some time in the States, maybe in the UK and then after that we'll just see what life brings."

Then Dan gives his final forecast:

"For Sunday for a lot of us it's just a nice day. You wake up in the morning, maybe knock on Mum's door [knocking gesture] and say, 'come on, we're going for lunch,' and you'll have a nice day ... Some nice-looking weather just to finish off across most of the country and that's the weather from Dan."

There's a Vine of that sign-off - and video of the whole thing - below.

As I said three years ago, I'm hoping this won't spell the end for this blog and that we might still hear from Dan from time-to-time.

I'll be sure to post any news here and on Twitter too.

Until then; that's the weather, for now...

28th April

National PM
All of these bits, like I've taken some red paint and just going [flicks hand at map], pmmm, pmmm, pmmm.

It's almost like a drunken octopus spreading out its arms [does so].

Smiley face [draws one in air] next to Thursday, good day for the washing.

Christchurch PM
Grab your logs, some chilly nights to come.

Rural
Mother Nature, she's got the old mittens in her hand and she's got the cool air sitting on the doorsteps as well. That's the weather for now...

Australia

That front there, it really has some good ooomph with it and a good bit of push, he doesn't wanna stop, like a freight train.

The Southern Ocean's saying, 'hello, I'm here.'

Thirty degrees, that's nice. Somebody goes 'one, two, three, flick the switch,' twenty one. Look at that, the Southern Ocean, like a windscreen wiper, nyerrrww, [see pic] really cooling things down.

There's video of this one and today's Pacific forecast, below.

LiveSport
We'll always see what Mother Nature brings because you never [?] always the trick where she keeps one hand behind her back and we don't actually know what's in that hand that's hidden behind the back when she finally goes 'da-daa, here you go.'

New Zealand Herald
Hail, thunderstorms and snow expected over next 48 hours

The wintry blast has come as a new low forms east of Canterbury, MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett said.
"It's actually on the radar spinning nicely like a car stuck in the mud."

There was also a "small chance" of a tornado along the North Island's west coast, Mr Corbett said.
"These are not not like those big Wizard of Oz ones."

Breakfast
Heavy rain in Canterbury and Otago

Mother Nature's sitting outside with her winter catalogue saying, 'Yeah guys, this is to come.'

We'll all be maybe looking for the extra blankets, maybe notching up on the heat pump or something or grabbing some extra logs to the fire.

One News
Dan is seen, indoors this time, talking briefly about the month of heavy rain. The bit with Dan is about 1m 20s in.

24th April

National AM

Weather systems:
They're almost like cars lined up at the carwash on a Saturday morning. There's one [points], there's another [points]. There's another front.

Australia
It'll be one of those things where, 'where are those jumpers?' That sort of thing.

Pacific
Showers
They're just the hit and miss ones, the ones that boom, boom, pop up in the afternoon [looks at watch] and you say, 'ah, was that it?' You're still outside in the deckchairs or something.

Timaru Herald
Weather taking a shine to Anzac

Metrologist Daniel Corbett said that unlike last week when "nature threw a hissyfit, possibly having a bad hair day", the weather for Anzac weekend should be stress-free.

Metrologist?

21st April

National PM
A couple of different troughs here and there...

Troughs: "You can almost time them [looks at watch] and say, 'Ah, there's one. Ah, there's another.'" pic.twitter.com/eYlR5nu6vk

— ttwfn (@ttwfn) April 21, 2014

The high just slowly starting to nestle its way in and say [throws arms up], 'I'm here!'

If you're on either side of these [weather systems] you're probably OK, get the washing on the line [gestures doing so] and if not you need the old raincoat just in case.

Wednesday [thumbs up], it's a decent day. Let's put a smiley face [gestures drawing a smiley face in the air] on the calendar now for it.

Auckland PM
You're thinking [finger to head], 'now, what is the best day to do the washing, take the family out for a picnic?' Da-daa! Wednesday.

Australia

"Fairly large anticyclone just sitting in place, just wallowing, sitting reading its Sunday newspaper." pic.twitter.com/J5eSt9xGxS

— ttwfn (@ttwfn) April 21, 2014

It’s the perfect day. Good day for the outside, picnic, maybe the beach.

Manawatu Standard
Sun to return, but the rain's not done

Mother Nature threw her toys out the cot last week, and we got a good kick in the pants during Easter.

17th April

National AM
Troughs on the low:
It’s almost like a spider spreading out its arms [arms out].

Easter Sunday, you’re putting the eggs in the garden with the bunny.

Auckland AM
Showers; shhhw, shhhw, [waves hand from side to side], they come through.

Christchurch AM
Friday’s a day where all the ducks at the duck pond [smile gesture] have a smile, if they could smile.

Wellington AM
That’s how it looks, like taking some blue paint and going, pfoom, like that [not quite a throwing gesture].

For Easter Sunday, when the bunny’s hopping round the garden, there still might be a few showers.

National PM
A pretty mean tropical low is working its way in. You can almost say it’s the big attack of the big red blob.
There's a picture of that one on Twitter.

Our rainfall, we could easily be seeing as much as two hundred to three hundred kilometres, erm, millimetres of rain. Spit it out.

We get the little spokes, like a bit of a mad octopus flailing its arms around [does so].

Going into Easter Sunday, the bunny’ll be hopping about, he’ll be saying [bounces], 'yeah, this is OK.'

Severe
You can imagine the list of watches and warnings is a bit like a laundry list.

Australia
It’s another day for the sandwiches [eating gesture] in the park, 29, even a trip to the beach.

Pacific
If you’re going in the next couple of days, sunglasses [sunglasses gesture], bucket and spade, you’re in pretty good shape.

Marine
You notice how we just lose a lot of colour, we go back to our purple, smooth. That means things are just going 'ahhh', just chilling out.

Auckland PM
Even on Easter Sunday, don’t be surprised, the Easter Bunny, he might be like this [bounces, umbrella gesture], bouncing about with a raincoat and an umbrella.

Farming Show
We kick the thing out the back door and the centre of it will sneak round the back of the garden.

Listen.

Guessing that the following two TV bits belong here. Might be 24 hours out. Timezones.

Breakfast
Wet weather set to end just in time for Easter

The Easter Bunny will actually have sunshine too but he might have an umbrella in his hand.

Firstline
Weather: Rain forecast for Easter
From the video:
You almost imagine Mother Nature and the Easter Bunny having a bit of a tussle right off the bat but they're gonna solve their problems.

By Saturday and Sunday we're kicking the low out the back door.

From the accompanying article:

"If you're peaking [sic] down the road to look for the Easter Bunny, I think he might already have his raincoat on."

Waikato Times
Weather warning for Easter motorists

"It's going to have some fangs to it for sure," Corbett said.

"If folks are travelling on the roads it will be pretty unpleasant. If [holidaymakers] go up north they're going in a better direction. If they put all the kids in the back of the car and said right we're going at 3pm and they drive south they'll drive straight through the front," Corbett said.

Sun Live
Audio forecast! Yes, you can listen to what Dan had to say to their reporter over the phone.

Today's one of those, almost a sleep late kind of day.

14th April

National PM
If the Easter Bunny was sitting and looking at the weather in New Zealand for the coming days he'd probably be grabbing the raincoat, the umbrella now saying [sharp intake of breath], 'oooh, quite a wet spell.'

It's like a sprawled out spider [arms back] that weather system there. The different arms, the different fronts like different legs.

Weather system:
It's not in a hurry because the upper low is just sitting and spinning like a car stuck in the mud [spinning gesture], vvvvv! You're not going very quickly.

Look at that, like you've had some blue paint and gone [sweeps arm across map], vhum!

So, of course, the Easter Bunny by this point, he'll certainly have his old raincoat on his back.

Auckland PM
Thursday's certainly a day where you'll sit inside and watch the rain probably go sideways [moves hand past face] past the window.

Wellington PM
Keep your raincoat handy by the week, it's gonna be your best friend.

Rural
The tropical low. Look at this thing, you'd think I'd taken a blue can of paint and gone [throwing gesture], vhum.

Get some moisture into the ground and it'll be growing like a jungle [raises hands, fingers pointing up].

Australia
Then you notice the high just settling in, pulling up a book, reading its magazine [gestures doing so] of sorts and just sitting in place.

Manuwatu Standard
Blood moon unlikely over Manawatu by @chrishydejourno.

"It might be a case of doing a bit of a lunar eclipse wiggle to try and persuade it to come out."

11th April

Wellington AM
Rain:
Here it comes, just coming in through late morning, vhum, there it is, maybe catching it a you're nipping out for your sandwich, grab your raincoat then.

National PM
It still looks like a plate of spaghetti, the old weather map, all the different lumps.

There's video of this, below.

Christchurch PM

You might need a bit of a magnifying glass [see pic] for the weekend to find all the decent, dry weather.

Pacific
Cyclone Ita:
There's a big ugly beast sitting in the north Coral Sea, churning her way towards the north Queensland coast.

Quieter weather there over the south-west Pacific, until you meet the big red friend. That, of course, is a fairly large upper trough.

Farming Show
Mother Nature, at least she's finally seen the bald-headed or grey-haired man on the roof of MetService doing his rain dance so she is at least listening and she's bringing us some weather systems.

Big highs:
Like some big stones stuck in the big stream, not really moving.

Jamie: Where were you, by the way, in 1994?

Dan: You wouldn't believe it, do you know, I was living in Houston, Texas. I was an aviation weather forecaster for a weather firm there. I was forecasting heatwaves and Gulf Coast hurricanes, so I was miles away from New Zealand.

Jamie: Well, you've ended up in the right place.

Listen.

Dominion Post
At least another five days of rain predicted by @Matt808Stewart.

"We sent mother nature an email saying that we had royal visitors coming, but she had the computer turned off and didn't get it - hence the rotten weather, which is almost like a typical English spring," MetService forecaster Dan Corbett said.

"The weather maps look like a plate of spaghetti - it's just weather system after weather system," Corbett said.

There's video of the Australia forecast, below.

10th April

National PM
Still some fairly messy weather. You'd think almost like Mother Nature had taken all the toys and just gone [throwing gesture] boom, like that and said 'that's the weather for the day.'

We roll back the radar. It was quite busy, almost like we've run out of yellow.

Last night, boom boom, the thunderstorms erupting across parts of the Waikato.

It's almost like a drunken octopus [bends back] saying, 'here's your weather,' of sorts.

There's video, below.

Auckland Now
Royal tour: Long will it rain by @Siobhan_Downes.

"They'll probably think we have loads of rain in this country," MetService meteorologist Dan Corbett said.

"It is going to be one of those visits to keep the raincoats and the brollies close to their side for much of the visit."

After three days of cold, cloud and wet weather in Wellington, Prince William and Catherine were probably relieved at the thought of escaping to sunny Blenheim today.

But if they woke up and checked MetService this morning, they were bound to be disappointed.

"It's one of those, 'have a raincoat handy' days for their walkabout, unfortunately," Corbett said.

If they woke up and checked MetService this morning, they were bound to be in for a treat, more like.

9th April

National AM
Notice the blobs of blue like working in like big blue blobs of blblbbleurgh, working in.

There's a Vine of that below, along with the whole video.

National PM
The weather's still rather messy across much of New Zealand. You'd almost think Mother Nature didn't get the email about our royal visitors.

Wellington PM
It won't be like rain going sideways past your office window [swipes hand sideways].

There's video of this one, below.

Rural
Then we say hello to the next weather system. That has a bit more meat and bones to it. Look at it coming in. You go, 'raaargh, wow.'

Pacific
That big swirl there, looks like a spread-out spider [bends arms back].

There's video of this one, below.

Otago Daily Times
Weather lays on 'grey and grim day' for royals

The capital is looking at a "hold onto your hat type day", said meteorologist Dan Corbett.

"It's yucky, it's almost like mother nature said, 'oh you're coming to visit New Zealand and you're from Britain, this is typical spring weather in Britain'," he said.

Mr Corbett said he had been "typing up a few emails to mother nature" to persuade her to improve the weather for the rest of the royal visit.

"Maybe she's got the computer turned off, but hopefully she'll start listening."

Manawatu Standard
Rain at last, and more to come by @chrishydejourno.

"We've got a number of different weather systems pacing around the country and they'll all be sort of dropping their fingers in on you on the coming days."

"If you drove through the gorge up to Hawke's Bay you would definitely be needing your gumboots," he said.

2nd April

Pacific

All of this looks lovely and pretty. You'd think I'd had the red paint [points], 'er, colour number six,' and just gone pfff, like that.

So this guy is going away [waves to the low], hasta la vista, bye bye.

Remember the other low, the big coloured gorilla in the corner, da-daa, there it is.

Australia
Yesterday was certainly a day for the ice-cream man across parts of Australia.

Rural
Look at this front trying to behave. It's just going, [wobbles and laughs?] 'I've gotta go that way.'

The front:
It may just come right in and say, 'I'm here,' you never know.

Manawatu Standard
Flights cancelled by 'wok-like' fog by @chrishydejourno.

"It's like having a big wok and then you put the lid on it like this high has. Eventually the glass starts fogging up. It's the perfect recipe."

As the week went on the high would become even more "moth-eaten" and would finally move on towards the weekend.

The response on Twitter:

Is Daniel Corbett the most quotable person in NZ? He just compared the weather to a wok. http://t.co/NB5miH8Z6s

— Jono Galuszka (@jonogaluszka) April 2, 2014

31st March

Australia

It's a bit of a see-saw week in some places; some spots start off the week you're on the warm side, by the end of the week you're grabbing your raincoats.

This guy here, see that front coming in? He's got a bit more oomph to it. You can just see him, he's like 'arrrgh', gonna barrel through.

Where you see the red stuff like the tomato colour, pmmm [throwing/spilling gesture], like you've spilled some. That, of course, is the heat.

Pacific
Like a bit of a string round a lawnmower of sorts [winds 'string' round finger], you pull it [gestures doing so], chooom, off it goes. Look at that low, vrrrooom, off it goes.

This guy here spins around, viiing!

Marine
A lot of purple, like I've had some purple paint and said, 'here you are,' ppt [throwing gesture], like that.

The wind is just doing one of these [waddles] saying, 'which way do I go?' Not really sure.

Rural
Our high, it's just sitting in place ... it is not moving. It's like having your car, your tractor, it's stuck in park, it's just not gonna move.

If the upper high drifts a bit further south it could be a scenario like this which many would go, 'oooh wow!' Yeah.

Voxy
Weather: The big high remains

MetService Media and Communications Meteorologist Daniel Corbett commented, "The big high is stuck in place over New Zealand, a bit like a big boulder blocking the flow of water in a stream."

weekend

National (Saturday)
As it works south it gets a bit elongated. It's like having a piece of plasticine, you pull it apart [gestures doing so], it gets thinner and thinner.

Severe

Lusi clears away:
This means, ba-baa, we're done, we're fine, it's moving out of the way. So by Monday morning, you don't need all the raincoats, you might still need one or two.

Stuff.co.nz
Cyclone Lusi lashing northern NZ

"If this is like a football match, we're not quite to halftime in Northern areas."

Corbett described the storm as a weather octopus, with layers of rain bands sweeping down the country.

"Think of it almost like an octopus flailing its legs."

Nelson Mail
Emergency centre has early test

Stocking up on DVDs for a day indoors tomorrow might not be a bad idea.

"Go down to the video store and get as many as you can and get loads of books," he said.

Twitter

I want Dan Corbett to take over the news and all of Twitter today with his Metservice genius. Guy is brilliant. Best weather guy EVER.

— Michelle Langstone (@TrueLangstone) March 14, 2014

I wish Dan Corbett could come round to my house and have dinner and talk about the storm as it comes in. Barometric pressure. Swoon.

— Michelle Langstone (@TrueLangstone) March 14, 2014

14th March

National PM
The cloud:
It looks rather colourful. You'd think I'd been to the crayon shop and said, 'can I have a green, can I have a red?'

Wind arrows:
See all the pinks, like a school of salmon in he old spring, racing their way in.

Severe
We take this low and it does a bit of a doohickey. What does it do? zzzhww, slowly travels its way across the south and the east ... a big old windbag.

By the time we go towards Monday, finally catch your breath, we kick this thing out the back door, lock it quickly.

Australia
Cyclone Gillian:
It's just wandering about. It's almost like a little bit of a- somebody that's lost its road map, not really knowing where to go.

Most of the heat just sort of bottled up here like a big lump of some tomato sauce being spilled on the map.

Pacific
Shear:
Almost like having a hairdryer [gestures holding one] and blowing the edge of a bit of mist.

Lusi:
Look at it winding up, like you put a string round a lawnmower [winding gesture] and you go, shmmm [lawnmower string-pulling gesture], off it goes.

Firstline

Warnings as Cyclone Lusi approaches
These tropical systems, they're a bit like hoovers, you know, you imagine just sucking up all the water, zzhhh, like that and they you're carrying it for a few hundred kilometres and say [see pic] brrr, and you drop it out.

Breakfast

Deadly cyclone Lusi 'a big-beast'
She's a big old beast, she's wound herself up.

They're like a big hoover, these systems. They suck up the moisture in the tropics and then, all of a sudden, go VHUM, like that when they come in.

Taranaki Daily News

Lusi to bring slips, flooding, gales with video!
Tropical rain is like a firehose, shhh, straight out.

28th January

National AM
This bloke, he's just saying, h-huh, I'm coming.

Twenty-two degrees, you'll be outside or maybe in the office saying, 'wow, it's a nice day.'

Decent weather and it doesn't just flink, flink [flick of wrist] in the course of fifteen minutes.

The high just says, 'ah, I'm coming back,' and it does.

National PM
Fine for your maybe trip to the beach or maybe just taking your sandwich at work, head out to the park for the day.

High pressure says, 'hang on a sec, it's my turn.'

Australia
Looks like Mother Nature's really got loads of things in her bag of tricks.

Marine
You look at the winds just scattered about like roaches just running when the light goes on.

As we run through the course of the rest of the week you think, 'aw [throws hands up], it's gonna be a big front, right?' No, hang on. That front weakens, energy is going away pretty quickly, so you just go ppt, like that [pulling apart gesture], it's done.

stuff.co.nz
Summer weather blowing in

Weather forecasters have dug some sunshine symbols out of their 2013 cupboard, and are predicting a week of barbecues and sunglasses across the country.

The next few days bring a front up the country starting later tomorrow, Corbett said.

"We will barely even notice it here in Wellington if you can believe it, because it's pretty weak and it's fizzling as opposed to coming in with all sorts of guns blazing and a freight train just barrelling through."

The high would build back after the front moved through, and would likely bring a bit of cloud and possibly a spot of rain to Wellington on Friday.

"If you look at the Wellington forecast for instance for the coming week, everyone has probably done a double take.

"Then there will be another front with a bit more meat on it, but certainly through the weekend, and into the first part of next week it looks lovely.

"It will be barbecue and sunglasses time, so get them ready.

"It was the joke a couple of weeks ago mother nature didn't receive her 2014 calendar in time. I think she's finally got it, and she's flicked to January 2014."

Campbell Live

Here's "the wonderful Daniel Corbett" on Campbell Live, bursting with Dan-isms.

Mother Nature, she was going to a summer barbecue so they told her, 'bring a plate of food.' She didn't do anything, she barely turned up.

John Campbell's response: "Miserable old tart."

The highs:
They just sat there and went, 'nah-nah,' and didn't come to us.

The wind flow starts to turn round to the milder, northerly direction and everyone goes, 'he-hey!'

We will be digging out the barbecues, the jandals.

At least the anticyclones, they've come to the party.

Imagine making a fruit punch and you didn't have any fruit. Now, all of a sudden, we have the fruit.

Wherever you see the high building like a big mud wrestler going brrr [elbows out] like that, that tells you the atmosphere is settling down.

Amazing.
There's video, below.

Added bonus:

Here's a pic of Dan getting ready for TV tonight, with Wellington looking stunning in the background ^JL pic.twitter.com/ACU3RpevmZ

— MetService (@MetService) January 28, 2014

Herald on Sunday

There's a brilliant feature article about Dan in today's Herald on Sunday - Like a blast of fresh air.

It's a potted history of Dan, from his UK roots to details about his time working in the States.

"I remember one day just watching the television and watching some bloke wave his hand, and I thought, 'I could do a better job than that,"' he says.

Delighted to see John Hammond quoted:

Fellow BBC weatherman John Hammond says Corbett was a breath of fresh air. But beneath the quirky persona is a serious meteorologist who cares passionately about the science.

"Only one person could express the internal musings of your pet dog and turn it into a weather forecast."

Oh look, there's a quote from me too. I'm not quite sure I'm a 'member of the Corbett "cult"', but I'll take it over 'presumably bonkers'.

Let's skim right over the reference to the UK's weather as 'bland' and cut to the chase:

Corbett won't rule out a return to the 6pm news,

Sadly, the article earlier states that this may be in New Zealand, but we Brits can still hope for a second triumphant return to the BBC.

The crowning glory is the amazing photo at the top of the page. Two hands on the old umbrella indeed.

24th January

National AM

This is the day where you probably said [looks at hand - see pic], 'hmm, that's gonna be a nice outdoor plans day.'

Twenty-five degrees, you'll be saying, 'hmm, I might be going home early from work, you never know.'

National PM

It's one of those mornings you'll wake up and go [looks up], 'wow, it looks brilliant!' You run outside and say, 'decent day.'

This is a beach day, barbecue day, whatever you want.

Mother Nature finally getting her calendar pages right to give us some decent-looking weather. That's the weather for now...

Australia
All the big lumps of blue, like I've taken red paint over the last few days and gone bmm, bmm, bmm [throwing gestures] like that.

Then we go into early next week, maybe you're gonna be there, maybe Grandma's coming or she's gonna sort of say, 'come on for the whole week.'

Marine
A low:
That thing deepens pretty quickly, almost like a lawnmower string [gestures winding string round finger] wrapping round. Pyoom [string-pulling gesture], off it goes.

Rural
We all know that Mother Nature has literally left her January 2014 calendar, it's been sitting in the back room, she's finally figured out where it is.

Dominion Post
Fine day for racegoing finery

"They won't need their raincoats ... the northerly does come back but it's nothing mean or nasty by Wellington standards, probably just an extra hairpin," MetService forecaster Daniel Corbett said.

17th January

National AM
Many of us will step outside and go, 'voom [sweep of hand]. Wow, what was that?' That's the southerly that's worked through.

It will feel different if you're out and about, maybe having a sandwich in the park [gestures eating sandwich].

The weekend is good, you'll be outside with the barbecues.

National PM
We bring in our friend, our area of high pressure, just sitting in place, pulling up a chair and sitting around for the course of the weekend.

It's a day when you take the dog out for a walk Saturday morning and he says [dog-bolting gesture] 'h-he, we're going out,' he bolts out the door. Lovely sort of weather.

Stuff.co.nz
Sun set to shine on Big Day Out

"It will feel fresher for folks. By the time they are having a good old dance in the evening [the temperature] will be dropping to the middle upper teens," Corbett said.

Farming Show
We ask the Met Service Weather Ambassador when it will rain in the north and when it will stop in the south!
Yet again the presenter attempts to engage Dan in a conversation about music.
"Don't drown me with enthusiasm, Dan."

Not many -isms but worth a listen for the amusing discussion at the end about a disagreement between some of The Others:
Presenter: You can't beat a good scrap amongst weathermen. You are so bitchy, you aside.

Dan: [laughs] Weather is one of those jobs, you're never gonna be perfect, Mother Nature's always going to have the last word.

15th January

National AM

For some of us over the past few weeks you can probably count the decent days on literally one hand [holds hand up] and when you get a decent day, grab it with both hands and say, 'it's mine!'

One of those days where you step outside and see blue sky and you say, 'yes, beach day.'

Twenty-seven degrees, that's an ice-cream man day.

National PM

This could be a barbecue evening. You'll be outside with the sandwich [gestures holding one - see pic] saying [looks up], 'wow, this is nice.'

Australia
Right off the bat you just take one look at the clouds and you go, 'wow.' Of course, the colourful bits, you'd think I'd grabbed my crayons [gestures doing so] and said, 'hmmm, let's have some fun.

All this mess here [scribbling gesture], like we've had blue crayons and just gone dada.

Pacific
The Coral Sea is really starting to come to life, bubbling away and you look at these lumps of of red, you think of it like a pot of tomato soup on the stove and you turn it up to high [gestures doing so] and the next thing you start bubbling, that's exactly what the clouds are doing.

Manawatu Standard
Dust off the sunglasses Manawatu by @chrishydejourno.

MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett said the "rollercoaster" start to the year's weather was not over but someone had reminded the woman upstairs that it was important to lay off the bumpy ride this weekend.

"It will be like summer for a change, particularly on Saturday and Sunday, they look wonderful," Mr Corbett said.

"Mother Nature has finally got her calendar in order."

6th January

National PM
Monday's the day we put a smile [draws one in the air] next to probably a couple of days ago.

That's the weather system, like a drunken octopus.

stuff.co.nz
Rain, wind to jostle with sunshine

"Since Christmas you could probably count on two hands (and you'd run out of fingers) the number of weather systems we've had ... Mother Nature, it's almost like she's having a bit of a bad hair day, she's having a bit of a tizzy.

"The high wants to try come in perhaps towards the later parts of the weekend, but it's almost like it's scared to dip its toes in the water. That is the trend, but these lows in the jetstream are still fairly active feeding in these weather systems so it's a bit like Mother Nature walking down the garden path, but instead of doing a straight line she's wiggling back and forth.

"Mother Nature is just being a bit stubborn at the moment, but we're going to get there eventually.

"Sometimes it's just a case of what Mother Nature does and how she throws the mix of weather systems - instead of saying 'have one a week' she says 'have seven or eight.'"

2nd January

Manawatu Standard
Gales and heavy rain on way

MetService meteorologist Daniel Corbett says the northwest gales are likely to become dangerous for campers.
"If they're still there after all that we've been having they're going to need the big tent pegs to stay there during this," Corbett said.

"It's scarcely believable conditions really - it's very spring-like for this time of year. It sort of feels like we're a carwash with the troughs lining up one after the other."

"It's a rollercoaster ride and it's a tricky one for those camping because it does start to get better into next week.

"But for the next few days it will be a challenge to pitch a tent and enjoy it."

1st January

National
Look at this and you think, well, who's got the blue paint? Gone, pmmm [throwing gesture], like that.

NewstalkZB
Most of the country in for a soaking

"You'd almost think that Mother Nature didn't get her new calendar 2014 in the post. it's been that sort of way."

24th December

National
You can certainly bet that Santa's gonna bring his wet-weather gear as he works his way in.

It'll be a stormy old night. You can imagine if you hear the old rattling on the window panes it could be Santa but it could be the heavy rain.

As we run through the day you'd think we'd say 'bye bye, out the door,' [kicking gesture] but it sits and lingers ... lingering round like a car that's spinning, vvv, [spinning gesture], stuck in the mud.

Severe

It could be a bumpy ride for old Santa as he heads his way in.

Santa Forecast
Awesome. That's all that needs to be said. I could transcribe the whole thing, but you'd be better off watching it instead. If it's no longer there, it's embedded, below.

Timaru Herald
Uh-oh, it's going to be wet

"It's as if Mother Nature hasn't got the memo about what day it is on the calendar," he said.

"If you're planning a barbecue, it might be wise to bring a raincoat."

23rd December

National
Santa's been eyeing up the weather forecast for New Zealand over the past several weeks and now it's looking more and more likely that he's gonna probably bring his raincoat as he works his way and works his magic across the country.

See the darker blues, like I've had the blue crayon and gone [scribbling gesture] h-hurr, like that.

Severe
We're heading into Christmas but Mother Nature hasn't timed things out well; she's bringing us the risk for some heavy rain and some strong winds, some gales.

Christmas Day, a quick squint, there's your front, just as we start opening our presents.

Australia
Lovely bits of colour and you say, 'wow, they're pretty, aren't they?' Of course, you think I've been busy with the paints.

The tropics are starting to bubble away like a big pot of red soup just bubbling away on a Saturday morning.

Look at all these lumps of blue, it's like I've been busy with some blue paint and just gone pmm, pmm, pmm [throwing gestures].

The Press
Chch Today: Xmas Day warm, damp

"You never know, Mother Nature might just say 'hold on a second, it's Christmas,' and the system might weaken."

19th December

National PM

Our friend [waves], hello; high pressure, that's coming in.

As the high builds in notice it's like a big bubble building in like a big fat bloke going [elbows out - see pic] h-hurr, like that.

Friday was the day we probably marked a couple of days ago with a smiley face [gestures drawing one] on the calendar.

Look at that, that's a decent day. That's a picnic day. It's a day you say 'let's go to the beach.' Why not?

The high builds in and just sort of chills out the atmosphere.

Monday is OK, last minute shopping, you're gonna be fine I think, out and about.

Christmas Day potentially there could be a few showers. Not a washout, we're all inside with the board games.

Australia
We go into the weekend, you're still thinking about the ice-cream man? Well, you might still be.

Pacific
This big lump of colour here and you look at the different colours and you think, 'well, Dan's been to the paint shop.'

Breakfast

Christmas forecast from Dan Corbett "Santa will be in his board shorts but with a brolly in the boot" @MetService mastery!

— Sam Wallace (@BreakfastSam) December 18, 2013

Sadly, there's no video of this on the TVNZ website.

Firstline
A mostly sunny Christmas expected

You can probably picture Santa as he came through, he probably had his board shorts on but he might have a raincoat in the back of his sleigh.

I think, if you're at the barbecue, wherever you might be, just plan for a few showers, but I think you keep your barbecue going, but of course, like me sometimes on rainy days back in the UK, you'd have your spatula like this, umbrella like that [see pic] and you'd be fine.

Watch the video.

The Press
Christmas forecast looks good

MetService meterologist Daniel Corbett said the best conditions for thunder were south of Christchurch, where air from the land and the sea converged to give the storm an "extra lift".

"It's almost like having a big fire and someone throwing on a can of petrol."

Corbett was optimistic for a mostly dry Canterbury Christmas.

"If I was planning a barbecue, I wouldn't cancel it."

But he does advise telling your guests to bring a rain coat, just in case.

16th December

Dan's back!

National PM
Picnic weather, plan accordingly.

Heat of the day, boom, boom; severe thunderstorm watch.

Australia
Looks like some decent-looking weather for the old beach or the ice-cream man.

You'll be out there with the old ice-lollies [gestures eating one] just hanging on.

Pacific
Convergence zone wiggles about like a piece of wet spaghetti.

New Zealand Herald
Christmas Day weather: 'Mixed bag' expected

"It's not going to be an ugly sabre-toothed tiger, but there might be some spots of rain around the country."

26th November

National AM
The ducks'll be jumping around, smiling; it's a wet, yucky day.

An area of wet weather:
You think I've got some blue paint and gone, pmmm [throwing gesture], like that.

National PM
It's soggy, it's wet; the ducks will have smiles on their faces.

Severe
Look at that lump of blue, you'd thought I'd been outside with the blue crayon and gone [scribbling gesture] h-hurr.

Waikato Times
Rain and thunder to hit Waikato region

"Even if this is a good shot in the backside this will help us claw back because otherwise it'll end up being dry for many places during the month and we know what comes after November.

"With December and the summer we typically expect longer fine days so this will hopefully put some money in the bank ... After the last period that was great weather for holiday makers, you might drive past a few farms to see some chaps dancing in their paddocks," Mr Corbett said.

There's also a photo of Dan at the top of the article, holding his hand out and looking up as though he's checking for rain.

25th November

National AM

You take a look at the weather map and it looks a bit messy, all the different lines, probably like a plate of spaghetti.

Decent dry weather, so it's not like you're standing at the bus stop going [looks up - see pic] 'urrrgh, gosh!'

The high just jumps the queue and says, 'ha-haa, me first.' So this low sits there and he's just waiting, trying to come in and he grabs a bit more moisture [gestures doing so] and says, 'h-hurr, here you go, take more.'

National PM
Weird shark week trailer at the start has unusual date grammar; "Sunday December one."

Then Dan;
The past weekend was the sun hats and the sunglasses, over the next couple of days it's back to the raincoats and the umbrellas [umbrella gesture].

This low spins around like a drunken octopus of sorts.

The raincoat by the end of the week, it's gonna be your friend. That's the weather for now [point], more at MetService-[nod]-dot-com.

Severe
After some lovely weather over the past weekend - high pressure, sunshine, beaches, - we're back to the wet weather.

It's like we've had some blue paint, we've bought it in the sale and gone pmmm [throwing gesture].

Pacific
First off you see the big lumps of red and you go wow, like I've had lunch and spilled some tomato sauce on the map.

Dominion Post
Summer temperatures heating up

"It's a bit like a body builder stretching out his arms saying 'ha ha, I'm here' - and that was the high pressure. It sat across the country, gave us the fine sunshine, and was very, very pleasant."

The run of sunshine was set to come to an end today, with a low coming through and the start of what Corbett said would be "more of a raincoat week".

Breakfast
The warm weather of November
Dan Corbett of the MetService joins Breakfast to discuss November's weather and the upcoming summer.

Video
Here's video of Dan presenting a forecast on 31st December 2010.

7th November

National AM
The further north you are it's the raincoat, the umbrella.

You see how the cloud just bubbles up like a big lump of blue on the stove, it just bubbles up through the afternoon.

The best spot for the picnics through the day? The far south.

National PM
All the rest of us, get your barbecues ready.

Waikato Times
Severe thunderstorm watch for Waikato

Metservice media & communications meteorologist Daniel Corbett said the engine room was located to the east of Northland and caused swirls of showers from Whangarei to Taihape.

"Think of it as a mad octopus flailing its arms around," Mr Corbett said.

9th October

National AM
Chilly:
The night to come? Grab the logs.

National PM
Then, before you can even catch your breath and get the cups ready in the kitchen, you've already got the next weather system coming in.

Cups?

The wind arrows, they look like small little minnows swimming about.

Drier day, take advantage of it, washing on the line, it might be your day.

Severe
Thursday is a drier day, maybe even a washing day, you never know. Take advantage of it.

Rural
A drier spell, tadaa, there it is.

Then by Tuesday, ah [holds chest] catch your breath, you can if you want.

You can literally say, 'I need a score card or a big blank sheet of paper to keep an eye on all those different weather systems.'

Hawkes Bay Today
Bay could miss spring low

"It's very much typical spring weather. Spring lows can be like jack-in-the-boxes, just bouncing around."

Video
Here are some videos of Dan presenting forecasts on 14th August 2008, 15th August 2008 and 16th August 2008.

8th October

National AM
Today might be one of those days where you're probably digging in the cupboard not only for maybe the raincoat, could even be the extra layers, might even need a parka.

Cold air:
Sitting in the lower levels like a cold layer of blue treacle.

National PM
Quite an active storm moving across New Zealand. It's got a bit of everything, it's like going to the buffet and you just get a bit of all these, some potatoes, some beans, it's got thunder, it's got snow, gales and quite a storm system.

That white there, it's not icing sugar, that is some snow.

Our drunken octopus of sorts of a low, that's what it looks like, slowly starts to ease away.

It's a day all the ducks would stay inside at the duck pond if they could.

Severe
A low:
A bit like a two-legged octopus.

Australia
As we get the flow around [the high], it grabs all this warm stuff here and just says, 'go down there,' [pushes it south] fyooong, there it does. Look at that, like we've spilled some tomato sauce on the map [gestures doing so], pyooo, sorry about that.

Not a bad-looking day as well, fine for the picnics.

Pacific

You see all these little lumps here, like taking lumps of plaster and just going, 'pfff, pfff,' [throwing gesture] on the old weather map there.

Hit and miss showers, the heating of the day bubbles them up like a bit of a pot on a stove on a Saturday morning when you're cooking it away.

Our other little trough flicking by New Caledonia. There he is. You know when he does ... you’ll say ha-haa [points] there it is.

3 News

Spring is a bit of a roller coaster ride when it comes to the weather.

The Southern Ocean ... is the breeding ground for weather systems, just creating them like a conveyor. Here, here's another one, here's another one. [You've just been hit with another one!]

The next couple of days as well, you'll want to almost keep a scorecard to keep an eye on all the different weather systems.

I sometimes like to say, in spring, the jet stream ... it's a bit like a piece of wet spaghetti, it's just wiggling about.

Watch the video Spring storms interrupt tease of summer.

Seven Sharp

Heather du Plessis-Allan interviews Dan about long-range weather forecasting:

If you had a 5-day forecast only, people would wanna say, 'what's it like next week? I'm going to Grandma's house.'

Watch the Weather Showdown.

New Zealand Herald
Risk of thunderstorms for upper North Island

The low was currently in the Tasman Sea, Mr Corbett said.

"Think of it like a two-legged octopus - the centre is the low, one leg is the front that's bringing in that moist, stable air generating the storms and then the other one is the one that's sitting over Canterbury."

Newstalk ZB
Canterbury face weather rollercoaster

"Spring can be like a roller coaster ride where one day you're in a parka, the next day you're out there in jandals and shorts. And unfortunately it was jandals and shorts on the weekend, grab the extra layers today but I wouldn't be surprised if early next week you'll be grabbing the jandals and shorts again."

Video
Here are some videos of Dan presenting forecasts on 19th July 2008 and 9th August 2008.

4th October

Dominion Post
Wairarapa the sunny spot this weekend

Clouds that cover Wellington and Kapiti this weekend were not expected to reach over the Rimutaka ranges, leaving Wairarapa bathing in sunlight, MetService forecaster Dan Corbett said.

"Everyone who goes east, it will be like 'wow, I have landed in another country.'"

2nd October

National AM
A weather system:
It's like a piece of blue plasticine, you pull it apart [gestures doing so], ppt and it's gone.

National PM

For some of us it's been the picnic baskets, in some spots you've been hanging onto your hats [touches head]

A piece of energy moves through on our front, then it's like having a piece of blue plasticine [stretching plasticine gesture - see pic], you roll it out so thin [sort of shakes the stretching plasticine gesture], before you know it, it thins out.

Australia
Our big high, there he is, come to pay himself a visit.

Pacific
We keep our convergence zone there, just bubbling about like a lump of blue porridge just bubbling away on a Saturday morning.

Bay of Plenty Times
Warm start to summer on our horizon

This week looked to be a great start to the school holidays, said Metservice meteorologist Dan Corbett.

"Tauranga is the place to be, it just looks gorgeous. I can imagine people wheeling out their boats and getting the picnic basket ready.

Video
Here's video of Dan presenting a forecast on 17th May 2008.

26th September

National AM
The second half of the weekend looks good. That's probably the outdoors day, maybe cutting the grass.

National PM
This is quiet weather. This is the day where you get your washing on the line and you say, 'finally, I can do that,' or you're just outside with the packed lunch.

Twenty-one degrees, you'll be outside saying, 'wow, it's a good day for the park, picnic or so.'

You can see the wind arrows, like a school of green fish looking for their food.

Another weather system comes spinning around, like a bit of a backwards twirling gymnast of sorts.

Australia
Grab the sunglasses and you’ll be out in the old swimming trunks.

The high pretty quickly says, ‘ta-daa, I’m here!’

Pacific
South Pacific Convergence Zone:
Just wiggles about like a piece of wet spaghetti of sorts.

Showers:
The lump of blue wiggling about like a piece of spaghetti.

Marine

Some decent swell to note and, of course, the surf boarders, you’re probably noting that with your eyes [widens eyes], going ‘yeah.’

You say, ‘wow, look at the colours,’ like we’ve had some red paint [painting gesture] and gone, ‘wah!’

Snow
Maybe you've already got spring on your mind or perhaps you've still got the old skis, you've got the board ready and you wanna go.

Ragged area of cloud, rather mottled like moth-eaten wool of sorts.

Skiing trip:
Let's go to the North Island, see how things go. Maybe you're going there, you're saying, 'Gonna go! We're gonna see what it's like!' Well, bear in mind you could see some snow.

Hawkes Bay Today
Heavy rains strand horses, cause slip

Friday is washing on the line day.