Strange fog cancels mid-morning flight

Whangarei's Town Basin covered with an unusually persistent fog about 10.30am yesterday. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A strangely belated fog shrouded Whangarei yesterday, cancelling a mid-morning flight.

Whangarei Airport manager Mike Chubb said while it was not unusual to have flights delayed or cancelled due to weather, it was strange to have such a late flight - the 9.30am arrival - canned due to fog.

"Usually it's the earlier flights, 9.30am would be about the latest we'd get fog. (Yesterday) was an unusual one I think," he said.

The Air New Zealand arrival, as well as several small private planes, were delayed or diverted yesterday.

Among those affected were five Labour Party MPs, aiming to be in Whangarei to visit a number of community organisations, Whangarei Base Hospital and Te Tai Tokerau Emergency Housing Trust.

MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn said the fog was caused by early morning cloud that "lowered down".

Cloud that would normally scatter with wind combined with 100 per cent humidity, which saw the haze stick around until the early afternoon.

"It's basically a result of really humid air and really light wind," she said.

- Today is the shortest day - the lowest sunshine hours of the year - and the MetService is predicting un-wintery, maximum temperatures of 19C to 20C.