In today's weather forecast we are expecting a partly cloudy day with one or two morning and late evening showers. Also southeasterly breezes.

It's a one-clothing layer day today with a high of 23 and an overnight low of 14 degrees. Humidity is 55 per cent.

High tide is at 9.40am and low tide at 3.50pm (Tay St). There's a sea swell of 1.1m and sea temperature is 22 degrees. Sunset tonight is at 8.20pm.

If you're going fishing the next best fish bite time is between 2 and 4pm.

On this day in NZ history in 1863 was New Zealand's worst shipwreck. For the British it was the costliest day of the New Zealand Wars – but it occurred far from the battlefield.

Bringing naval stores from Sydney, the modern 1706-ton steam corvette HMS Orpheus ran aground on the bar at the entrance to Auckland's Manukau Harbour.

Of the 259 naval officers, seamen and Royal Marines aboard, 189 died. In terms of lives lost, it remains New Zealand's worst maritime disaster.

On this day in world history in 1963 the Mona Lisa was put on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. In 1964 the British band The Beatles were greeted by 25,000 fans upon their arrival in the United States at JFK Airport.

Today is the birthday of Charles Dickens, prolific English novelist; his stories reflected life in Victorian England. Some of his more famous works include Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities. Born in 1812, he once said 'No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”

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Have a great day!