It was the summer that never was.
It rained, it blew a gale and it ruined summer holiday plans, and with only two weeks of summer to go, WeatherWatch warns the remainder of summer will be more of the same.
While the next two weeks of February, the last two weeks of summer, could contain some of the hottest days for the season it would also be cloudy and wet.
December started wet in the north and very dry in the south, but by mid-January it had switched and was wet in the south and dry in the north, WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan said.
"Now we're seeing the third change - and this one sees unsettled weather for most parts of New Zealand for the final couple of weeks.''
The main problem this summer was the lack of highs sitting over the country.
"The highs have been what we call dirty highs - they bring in cloud and they linger for only a few days, meaning we get the cooler winds from the south at the beginning then the more humid northerlies at the end.''
Last summer the highs were sitting over the country for several days at a time.
And more of the dreary weather is predicted; heading into autumn the weather would remain fairly similar, Mr Duncan said.
