David Carter has declared a drought in the Waikato and Ruapehu District, saying recent rainfalls appear to have had little effect on dry pastures.

Muggy, sticky, humid heat - for most Aucklanders yesterday the city would have felt like being trapped in a Turkish bath.

Torrential rain, floods, and national embarrassment about Auckland's weather could all be in store this summer.

The North Island is in for the wettest summer in 21 years - ending the recent dry spell which broke numerous heat records.

The big tease - that's how I'd describe the weather this week for those desperate for some rain.

It's been a cloudy week for many main centres but the weekend is looking sunnier as yet another high moves in.

Snow and freezing temperatures have severely disrupted air and road travel across Europe.

A strike by London Underground workers has added to the woes of commuters in Britain, already hit by freezing weather.

Britain is in the grip of a cold snap that has blanketed much of the island in snow and brought record low temperatures to parts of it.

A weekend for BBQing is on the cards as a large and strong anticyclone in the Tasman Sea pushes over the country.

While not a lot of rain has fallen in the past couple of months across most parts of NZ the 'typical' La Nina conditions are developing.

A humid week is on the way across much of the North Island and western South Island as a northerly flow develops.