Wednesday is 'hump day' for most workers, but today is also the hump day of the season. It's the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. From here onwards through winter the days will be getting longer.
There's only 8.5 hours of light in the South Island on Wednesday, and nearly 9.5 toward the top of the North Island.
And it's going to be wet and windy on Wednesday, with the worst weather from Whangarei northwards.
"Wind and rain is really going to pick up," NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino says. There'll also be gusty winds over Auckland, but the rain will hold off in the super city until overnight.
The Bay of Plenty is set to get the worst of the rain, he says.
"Typically during the month of June areas like Whakatāne and Tauranga can typically get about 100-120mm rain… I don't think it'll get quite that much but we'll approach that I believe for this event.
"There'll be a bit of snow above 300 metres - Kaikōura Ranges will get some snow, Mt Cook will get a bit of snow, but there's not a lot of cold air behind this. There'll be some seasonably cold air for this time of the year. Tomorrow in the North Island, and Friday, may feel a bit humid."
He says there's not a lot of cold air over the next few weeks, which is not great news for skiers.
As for the first Lions Tour match between the British and Irish Lions and the All Blacks at Eden Park on Saturday, there'll be nothing too dramatic, Mr Brandalino says, apart from a bit of rain forecast for the morning. He says Sunday will be the best day of the weekend.
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