Locals were greeted by snow-capped ranges this morning. Photo/Warren Buckland.
It is set to be another wintry day for Hawke's Bay, with wind, rain, and the possibility of thunderstorms.
Metservice has issued a heavy rain warning for Hawkes Bay hill country east of Wairoa from 9am this morning to 1am tomorrow.
"Rain with heavy falls at times about eastern parts of Taranaki and the Whanganui Hill Country, and a further 40 to 60mm of rain may accumulate in these areas until this evening, with lesser amounts elsewhere," Metservice reported.
Peak intensities of 5 to 15mm/hr, and isolated thunderstorms are possible.
Emergency services in Hawke's Bay reported a quiet night, with no major incidents - in vast contrast to other parts of the country.
Metservice Meteorologist, Tom Adams, said Hawke's Bay was spared the worst of this weather, with Taranaki and Auckland seeing the worst, but that didn't mean the region hadn't seen any action.
"Hawke's Bay didn't get the same wind speeds as Auckland and Taranaki and in terms of rain, there was decent rain but also Hawke's Bay wasn't the rainiest place either, but to be fair Hawke's Bay was up there," Mr Adams said.
Overnight gusts of 107km/h were felt at Cape Kidnappers and Napier Airport is currently experiencing gusts of 52km/h.
"What we are seeing is a good chilly south westerly wind direction, which I am sure you guys are fairly familiar with, being quite colder than Northerly winds".
He said it was currently 7C at Napier Airport.
In the last 24 hours, Wairoa Airport saw 77.8mm of rainfall, while Napier Airport saw 33.8mm and Takapau plains saw 64mm.
"There has been a decent amount of rain," Mr Adams said. "Hawke's Bay quite often gets good rain in those southwesterlies and that's what we are seeing."
"Following the main front there is a more showery flow, so there will be showers throughout today and there is also the chance of some hail and possible thunderstorms".
There is the possibility of snow to 700m on the Napier-Taupo Rd.
He said the country was in a very mobile weather situation at the moment, where fronts are coming "thick and fast".
"This weather is associated with one front that went up New Zealand and there is another front coming tomorrow, which isn't going to be as severe as this one.
"Things are very mobile so things will chop and change from one day to the next, so it really highlights the importance of checking the forecast and checking the watches and warnings."