Christmas Eve thunderstorms in Hawke’s Bay threaten Christmas Day plans

RSE workers from Vanuatu running a 100-metre beach dash for Christmas at Ocean Beach as dark skies loom behind. Thunder is on the cards for the region on the afternoons of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Photo / Paul Taylor

Outdoor Christmas Day celebrations in Hawke’s Bay may need to shift to the morning as the afternoon looks to bring downpours and thunder for most of the region.

MetService issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Hawke’s Bay from Hastings southwards and the Tararua District on Sunday morning (Christmas Eve), for between 1pm and 8pm, saying those areas had the highest risk of downpours as scattered thunderstorms loom across central and northern parts of the North Island.

MetService said the thunderstorms should die away on Sunday evening, but further thunderstorms were likely on Christmas Day.

MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor said there was a chance these storms would be accompanied by heavy rain with localised downpours in excess of 25mm/h.

“If people are still doing Christmas shopping or travelling to where they are going to be tomorrow [Christmas Day], particularly in those areas, then be very careful out on the roads because downpours can cause flooding, slips and poor visibility as well so pull over if you need to. It is not worth rushing in heavy rain,” O’Connor said.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in place from 1pm - 8pm on Christmas Eve Sunday in Hawkes Bay and Tararua, MetService forecasts.

Rainfall rates of 25-40mm/h (or possibly more) can be expected with the thunderstorms according to MetService.

She said there was a similar risk of severe thunderstorms in the same area on Christmas Day, again in the afternoon and evening, and people should be prepared with a plan to move celebrations inside quickly if need be.

Predictions of showers for Hawke’s Bay contrast the positive outlook for Christmas in the region only a few days earlier when MetService meteorologist John Law said Hawke’s Bay looked like it could be one of the nicest parts of the country.

However, temperatures will still be high as earlier predicted.

“The morning looks drier. It will still be warm as well. We are going to 31 [degrees Celsius] in Napier and Hastings,” O’Connor said.

She said the thunderstorms would be localised rather than widespread and people could track them through the MetService website or app.

She said it would also be muggy, humid and sticky overnight for Christmas Eve, with 20C expected across most of Hawke’s Bay.