In today's forecast we are expecting showers, with a chance of thunderstorms throughout the day. A northeasterly will be turning to a gusty westerly during the morning.

It's a two-clothing layer day today with a high of 15 and an overnight low of 9 degrees. Humidity is 87 per cent.

High tide is at 8.40am and low tide is at 2.50pm. There's a sea swell of .6m with a sea temperature of 15 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 5.35pm.

If you're going fishing today the next best fish bite time is between 2 and 6pm.

In NZ history on this day in 1891 women's suffrage petitions were presented to Parliament. These petitions, signed by 9000 women, contributed to the introduction of a Female Suffrage Bill in Parliament. This received majority support in the House of Representatives but was defeated in the Legislative Council.

In 2011 a polar blast sweeps the country. New Zealand's heaviest snowfall in decades closed airports and schools, forced the cancellation of buses and trains, caused electricity blackouts and cut off many communities across the country. Weather watchers described the storm as ‘a once in a lifetime event'.

In world history on this day in 1945 Japan announced its unconditional surrender in World War II. In 1947 Pakistan became an independent country.

Today is the birthday of Hans Christian Oersted, a Danish physicist and chemist born in 1777 who discovered electromagnetism. It's also the birthday of cartoonist Gary Larson who wrote The Far Side. Born in 1950 he once said "'My drafting table, where I drew The Far Side for most of my career, faced a window that overlooked a beautiful garden; beyond the garden was a lake, and beyond the lake Mount Rainier rose majestically into the Washington sky. I worked at night.”

To get involved in some of the many activities happening around the Bay, please check out our What's on page.

Have a great day!