It's been a common thread in our lives for so long that the prospect of a dull long weekend shouldn't surprise.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
That's just as well because that's exactly what's in store this Anzac Day long weekend for the Illawarra.
The gurus at the Bureau of Meteorology expect the showery conditions to extend late into next week, meaning Monday's Anzac Day march in Wollongong could be damp.
But with less than 10mms of rain predicted over the three-day weekend it's unlikely to impact too severely.
The forecast for each day of the long weekend is similar, with lows of 15 degrees expected every day and Sunday's 21 degree high just beating 20 today and Monday.
Patchy fog on Monday might still be visible at Anzac Day dawn services while there's a high chance of showers, most likely in the morning and afternoon.
Winds are likely to be south to south-westerly 15 to 20 km/h during the day before easing off in the afternoon.
At the southern end of the Illawarra, nights are likely to feel a little cooler with overnight temperatures falling to between 8 and 14 degrees in parts.
That dull forecast shouldn't impact anyone keen to use the region's beaches over the long weekend as Friday's water temperature of 22.6 degrees is expected to be repeated.
Over the Easter break, volunteer lifesavers were kept particularly busy. Teams between Helensburgh/Stanwell Park down to Windang in the south performed dozens of rescues over the Easter break.
The weekend is your last chance to swim with the safely net provided by surf lifesaving patrols as the flags come down at 5pm Monday for the season.
North Wollongong Beach is the exception as it will continue to be patrolled from 8am to 4pm daily.
The state's "12 days of fare-free travel" continues through the weekend.
The fare-free period covers all Opal network services in the Illawarra, Sydney, the Blue Mountains, Central Coast and the Hunter region.
People attending the Easter Show and other events with integrated ticketing can show their ticket to staff at the station or when boarding services, or tap on and tap off as normal for free.
The Transport for NSW initiative is scheduled to end at 3:59am on Tuesday, April 26.
The Illawarra Mercury newsroom is funded by our readers. You can subscribe to support our journalism here.
