Care needed on Bay roads as amid wintery weather

Te Mata Peak, Havelock North, appears to be lying on a bed of fog in this picture taken from Norton Rd, Hastings. Photo/Duncan Brow

People travelling the highways over the next couple of months are being advised to check in with the New Zealand Transport Agency's winter journeys webpage.

"As the weather starts to become more wintery we are reminding people to be careful as the temperatures drop," said NZTA's journey manager for Napier, Oliver Postings.

While the opening days of the second month of winter were reasonably mild and dry, wet weather, and resulting wet conditions across the highways, is forecast later in the week.

A WeatherWatch spokesperson said low-pressure systems which had brought some showers last weekend were continuing to roll in from the Tasman.

The incoming lows were described as "large and lazy" - not overly aggressive but they would bring wet conditions over the Bay and most of the rest of the country as well from Thursday.

"A brief area of high pressure will cover New Zealand on Wednesday but later this week and into the weekend low pressure and rain looks again to be the main feature."

Northern and western regions would get the worst of it, however, the spokesperson said.

Thursday across the Bay will be overcast with showers developing and showers are forecast to continue, off and on, through Friday and into Saturday, although sunshine is forecast to return later on Saturday.

"Most of New Zealand is pretty wet right now - although some eastern areas may have a drier pattern if our weather continues to mainly come in from the Tasman Sea area and we get more westerly quarter winds."

Motorists travelling the region's highways are also being advised to be ready for minor delays as road maintenance programmes continue.

Minor delays due to temporary speed restrictions and stop-go signalling can be expected at several sites along State Highway 2 north between Napier and Wairoa.

Construction of a stock underpass on SH50 near Creek Rd and Gwavas Station will also result in slight delays.

Mr Postings said the major projects at the Whakatu arterial roundabout and the SH2/Watchman Rd intersection were progressing well.

"We are not noticing any significant delays in peoples' journeys through these sites."

● Winter Journeys webpage - www.nzta.govt.nz/winter-journeys