The weather forecast today is for showers, with a chance of them becoming heavy from the afternoon, and then clearing at night. They'll be light winds.

It's a two-clothing layer day today with a high of 19 and an overnight low of 9 degrees.

High tide is at 1.30pm and low tide is at 7.40pm. Sea temperature is 15 degrees. There's an average sea swell of about .7m and sunset tonight is at 7.13pm.

If you're going fishing today the best fish bite time is between 6pm and 8pm.

This day in NZ history in 1899 New Zealand answered the British Empire's call to arms. Premier Richard Seddon asked Parliament to approve an offer to the British government of a contingent of mounted riflemen to serve in South Africa.

Amid emotional scenes, the members overwhelmingly endorsed the motion – only five voted against it.

In 1904 a woman was placed under arrest for smoking a cigarette on New York's Fifth Avenue.

In 1928 Sir Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin when he noticed a bacteria-killing mold growing in his laboratory; it remained for Howard Florey and Ernst Chain to isolate the active ingredient, allowing the 'miracle drug” to be developed in the 1940s.

In 1959 on this day the Explorer VI, the U.S. satellite, takes the first video pictures of Earth.

A quote for today from Croft M. Pentz who said "All the flowers of all the tomorrows are in the seed of today".

For activities on today please check out our What's On page.

Have a great day!