Weather: Large swell warning for North Island’s east coast as bad weather bears down

Large swells are expected to create difficult conditions at beaches along the North Island’s east coast as heavy rain and winds bear down over the coming days.

A low-pressure system drifting down from the north brings the possibility of heavy rain to Northland, Auckland, Waikato, including the Coromandel Peninsula, the Bay of Plenty, and Tairāwhiti/Gisborne from Sunday.

This system may also be accompanied by severe gale winds.

Swells peaking up to 3m have been issued for the entire east coast of the North Island, with rain, wind and surging swells expected throughout the weekend, Surf Life Saving New Zealand [SLSNZ] said in a statement.

SLSNZ chief operations officer Chris Emmett said there had already been notable rescues at beaches across the country since the New Year period and beachgoers should exercise caution and take care as conditions change and become more dangerous.

“We’ve seen a number of rescues and incidents, particularly on Auckland’s west coast, since New Year’s Day at beaches across the Northern Region.

“We are now seeing forecasting for particularly challenging conditions on the east coast of the North Island, and we are urging caution.”

Large waves meant strong currents and unpredictable conditions, Emmett said.

Friday Newsfeed: Muggy air about to slowly sliding away ahead of Cold Front + Heavy Rain Red Alert for West Coast https://t.co/GDl7ByqsJE via @weatherwatchnz

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) January 18, 2024

“Many beaches across the east coast are already experiencing building surf, with strong winds to follow later in the weekend.

“Our suggestion is that people exercise common sense and be aware of the risks as the swell is expected to continue building throughout the weekend.”

Emmett said people should check the SafeSwim website before visiting the beach and if conditions were poor he urged the public to reconsider their trip and stay out of the water.

If lifeguards do not put up red and yellow flags and instead display No Swimming signs and red flags, SLSNZ is asking that beachgoers respect that the water is too dangerous for recreational activities.

Eastern coastlines from Northland through to the Bay of Plenty can expect heavy swells that may not ease until Tuesday.

“There will be a lot of water moving that can easily knock you off your feet, so keep an eye on children, making sure to stay well away from the water,” Emmett said.

“We also ask that storm spectators and rock fishers take extra care if spending any time on the rocks this week. Large swells can be unpredictable and easily knock you into dangerous waters.”

All SLSNZ clubs will be closely monitoring weather conditions throughout the week.