Strong winds batter Auckland: Power outages, roads blocked

Auckland emergency services were in overdrive on Thursday night, dealing with a number of weather-related incidents, including power outages.

And the forecast for the weekend ahead is not looking much better.

Outages occurred at several different locations around the city and wider Vector network, according to the Vector Outage Map.

Inside of Auckland city, areas of Titirangi, Mount Eden and into Kingsland, Herne Bay, two areas of Otahuhu were experiencing outages at 9.20pm.

Muriwai through Waimauku and towards Taupaki lost power too, as had an area of Whangaparaoa near Gulf Harbour.

Strong winds about Auckland should gradually ease tonight. Maximum recorded gusts of 95km/hr about Auckland Harbour Bridge and Whangaparaoa Peninsula recorded earlier today. ^AD

— MetService (@MetService) November 1, 2018

Small pockets of power were also lost near Puhoi, Warkworth, Tauhoa, and Wellsford.

This adult Starling is a victim of the incredibly windy weather we are having in Auckland but there will be plenty more birds getting blown around and out of nests during this time too #weather #auckland #spring pic.twitter.com/lbjG5nZkBh

— BirdRehabilitation (@BirdRehabilita1) November 1, 2018

A police spokeswoman said they received a number of calls from the public about wind-related incidents.

"We've had a number of calls about fencing, timber, other material from building sites blowing onto the road – Takapuna, Otahuhu," she said.

"We've had a few reports of trees or branches blocking roads – Kohimarama, Epsom, Mt Roskill, Clendon Park, Kumeu, Waitoki, Northwestern motorway, Pukekohe."

Vector said a number of areas throughout Auckland experienced power outages.

Vector spokesman Andre Botha said it was not possible to pinpoint how many homes had been impacted but there were a number of faults across the network.

When he left the office around 8.20pm there were at least 10 faults on the network, he said.

A number of crews would be working through the night, Botha said, and members of the public without power are asked to remain patient.

Carly Bishop, who lives in Mt Eden, hadn't had power since around 6.40pm and resorted to knitting by solar powered fairy-light.

A Mount Eden resident has taken to knitting by solar-powered fairy lights. Photo / Carly Bishop

Metservice meteorologist Ravi Kandula told the Herald Auckland had a mean wind speed of around 50 to 60km/h, with some gusts reaching 100km/h.

At 9pm the Harbour Bridge had recorded a wind speed of 44km/h with a wind gust of 78km/h, meanwhile, Auckland central was sitting at 46km/h and 59km/h respectively.

For Friday, the majority of the country is looking at mainly fine and settled weather, Kandula said.

Early risers in Auckland and Wellington will see some cloud cover but it should pass over the space of the morning into a fine day.

"Essentially, all the main centres will have a pretty nice day really," Kandula said.

Heading into the weekend, New Zealand is in the firing line of another turbulent few days of weather with strong winds and rain set to pack-a-punch.

🌬️ It's been a very windy afternoon in the Auckland Region. In fact, between 4-5 pm our weather station at Western Springs recorded a gust to 82.4 km/h!

This is the strongest wind gust at this location since the damaging wind event on 10 April 2018, when 94.5 km/h was recorded!

— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) November 1, 2018

The forecast is showing much of the country will be hampered by wet and windy weather, with significant weather warnings likely.

MetService meteorologist Tui McInnes said the "significant wind and rain event" contrasts the calmer weather of the last few weeks.

"Wind will be the dominant element of this weekend's weather," he said.

"While the wet weather does affect much of the country, the strong winds are what provide the greatest and most widespread risk."