Settled conditions are set to “rapidly deteriorate” for the North Island today, as a band of rain with blustery northerly winds threatens to strike the dwindling days of winter.
MetService is forecasting weather systems that hold the “flavours of spring”, with strong westerly winds, rain, thunderstorms and snow.
There is a risk of thunderstorms with heavy rain and small hail for Taranaki this evening.
MetService meteorologist Silvia Martino told the Herald that unsettled spring-like weather is making itself known.
“This certainly is a pattern that we often see in spring, these strong, unstable westerly flows, lots of showers about, possibility for thunderstorms, temperatures swinging about a bit,” Martino said.
MetService has issued several severe weather warnings and watches for heavy rain and strong winds today and tomorrow.
An orange heavy rain warning is in force for the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers south of Arthurs Pass until 4pm today.
MetService said streams and rivers may rise rapidly in the region.
Surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions are also possible.
Strong wind watches are in force for the Canterbury High Country, Marlborough and Wellington today, as well as Hawke’s Bay south of Napier, the Tararua District and Wairarapa north of Martinborough tomorrow.
“It’s not super exciting to say that it’s windy in Wellington, but we have had some gusts up to 100km/h already,” Martino said.
“We’re expecting strong westerly, possibly approaching severe gale in exposed places for Whanganui and southern Hawke’s Bay.”
Kaikōura is currently experiencing a widespread power outage as severe weather lashes the area.
Strong winds, thunderstorms and rain have already hit the South Island earlier today.
Gusts reached 116km/h for Mount Cook Airport, 112km/h for Roxburgh Airport and 98km/h for Wallacetown this morning.
The chance of thunderstorms with heavy rain and hail continues for the remainder of the day for Nelson, Buller, Grey and Westland.
Emergency services rushed to a caravan obliterated by the high winds which ripped through the Canterbury region this morning.
Earlier today, Christchurch recorded its warmest temperature since May 25, Martino said.
“It’s been a while since we’ve got a big northwesterly wind event like we’ve got at the moment. That is what drives our highest temperatures.”
The strong westerly winds and possible thunderstorms are expected to ease by the end of tomorrow.
Temperatures are set to drop over southern New Zealand, and chilly snow may affect some elevated parts of the South Island, including some of the higher roads.
“As things cool down in the far south, we’ve got a couple of road snow warnings for the higher roads in the South Island, and we might need more of those as the week goes by as colder air gets in there,” Martino said.
As we move into the last weekend of winter, MetService is expecting to see another boost to winds and swell, combined with fast-moving rainbands.
“A strong northwesterly flow builds over the country ahead of another front, which moves onto southern New Zealand late in the day on Saturday and quickly over the country on Sunday, followed by a strong and showery west to southwest flow,” MetService said.
MetService meteorologist Alanna Burrows said a heavy southwest swell, with heights between 5 to 6.5m, is forecast to develop for the western coastlines of the country on Sunday.
“The weekend sees a transition into a breezy springtime setup, and we may find more strong wind watches issued,” Burrows said.
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