National weather agency Metservice has upgraded a warning for Hawke’s Bay to include risks of damage to property and trees and dangers on the road in winds on Saturday night and Sunday morning.
The new strong wind warning was issued at 9.15am today, forecasting west to northwest gales, severe at times and up to 120 km/h in the 10 hours from 6pm Saturday to 4am Sunday.
It warned there could be damage to trees, powerlines and unsecured structures, and that driving could become hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
But numerous wind and rain warnings were in place for areas throughout the North Island and upper South Island.
The warning for Hawke’s Bay followed a “watch” notice issued on Friday for winds across the central North Island from Taranaki to the Bay. Metservice reported occasional gusts in coastal areas had hit near 100km/h during Friday afternoon.
