MetService Weather Warning: Saturday October 25th.
Video / MetService
Storms are expected to put a dampener on the rest of Labour weekend, with gales, swells and rain for different parts of the country.
MetService said thunderstorms may hit the South Island on Sunday, particularly in the afternoon, with rain up to 15mm/h and strong wind gusts of 90km/hhitting the southwest.
The severe weather is set to move up the country on Monday, when central regions can expect to be battered by wind and rain.
Low pressure from the Tasman Sea will move on to the country at that point, bringing significant weather to many places, MetService said.
Rainfall is expected to be high in the ranges of Westland, Grey, Buller, Nelson and northwest Marlborough, Tasman west of Motueka, and the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers.
Wellington and the south of the North Island are meanwhile likely to get severe gales.
Severe weather is predicted to return to New Zealand on Labour Day. Photo / MetService
On Tuesday, the risk of severe gales may spread up the North Island, along with the chance of heavy rain.
Manawatū-WhanganuiEmergency Management said staff across the region are monitoring the situation and are ready to activate the Emergency Coordination Centre if required.
It has also warned the public to prepare for strong winds and the possibility of trees and poles falling, roofs being torn off and objects flying through the air.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand warned of a “high fire danger” this weekend, with even a small spark in windy weather capable of causing a fast-spreading fire.
The severe winds that helped fan flames in the Bay of Plenty and Canterbury this week have subsided, but a ban on fireworks and open-air fires is still in place in Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Wairarapa, Marlborough and Canterbury until 9am Monday, Fire and Emergency said.
“The slightest spark in windy weather can cause a fire that will spread very quickly and be very difficult and dangerous for our crews to put out,” said Fire and Emergency assistant national commander Ken Cooper.
“We are asking every landowner, agricultural contractor, forestry manager and lifestyle block owner to please check any old burn piles to ensure they are fully extinguished, even if they are weeks old.”
Auckland and Northland have a low risk of heavy rain and severe gales on Monday and Tuesday.
Elsewhere, there is a chance of heavy snow, especially in Canterbury, Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes District on Monday.
Heavy rain and sever gales are expected to hit parts of the North Island on Tuesday. Photo / MetService
On Tuesday, only northern and central parts of Canterbury are expected to experience heavy snow.
