Windy weekend in store for Hawke’s Bay

All calm on Friday, with a bit of wind to follow, but fine for this yachtie off Ahuriri. Photo / Paul Taylor

Winds gusting up to 100km/h on the Hawke’s Bay coast on Friday afternoon were a sign of stronger things to come, according to nationwide weather agency MetService.

Meteorologist Andrew James confirmed most of the North Island from Cape Reinga to Palmerston North was under some sort of weather warnings for times during the weekend, with a “strong wind watch in place for the width of the central North Island, including Hawke’s Bay, from 6pm Saturday to 9am Sunday, with an outlook of west to northwest winds possibly approaching “severe gale” at times.

On Friday afternoon gusts up to 90km/h had been recorded at Mahia, 50km/h at Hawke’s Bay Airport, just north of Napier, and 100km/h in the southern extremities at Cape Turnagain, the last being the site of some of New Zealand’s highest wind recordings over the years.