Severe gale watch for Tauranga

File photo

Update 3.30pm: Wind gusts reached 46 kilometres an hour about 2pm today, according to Metservice.

The strong winds have eased off slightly and are expected to be blowing about 30 kilometres an hour until 6pm.

Tauranga City Council has not received any reports of damage from the wind.

Earlier: Metservice has issued a severe weather watch for the Bay of Plenty.

The watch is for the possibility of severe westerly gales in the Bay of Plenty this afternoon and evening.

Metservice is currently predicting gusts of 37 kilometres an hour to hit Tauranga about 4pm.