Weather Watch: Humidity set to continue

Air being pulled down from the sub-tropics is the reason Aucklanders and others across northern New Zealand are feeling the humidity at the moment. Photo / Greg Bowker

Air being pulled down from the sub-tropics is the reason Aucklanders and others across northern New Zealand are feeling the humidity at the moment - and we're only just getting started.

This is the La Nina weather we've been talking about all along. Hot, humid and wet in the upper North Island.

Tuesday's rain wasn't a drought breaker - it never was going to be. But a change in the weather pattern has arrived and we will see more low cloud, drizzle, rain and humidity over many regions this summer - particularly in Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga.

As of 8:20pm Tuesday humidity was around 88% in Auckland with an air temperature of 22 degrees in the city. WeatherWatch.co.nz said that the "feels like" temperature at the time was around 28 degrees.

Overnight lows will be around 18 to 20 degrees for the upper North Island this week.

Humidity will make most places feel like the mid 20s overnight.

On top of the warmth and high humidity there is basically no wind - meaning a restless sleep for many again tonight. Not for me though...I love this weather. A good way to battle the humidity is ensure your bedroom doesn't get too damp - use a dehumidifier if you've got one. A fan switched on pointing directly at the foot of the bed will help... not too close to the face so that it bothers you. Sometimes a cool breeze on your feet can have a dramatic difference on how your body temperature is.

The humid weather is likely to remain for a number of days yet, right across the North Island, but especially hot in the northern half of the island. If you're finding it uncomfortable now - just remember the hottest weather isn't for another two months.