“Drivers of high sided vehicles and motorcyclists are advised to avoid the Auckland Harbour Bridge and use the western ring route on State Highways 16 and 18.”
The are also reports from residents in Raumati Beach on the Kapiti Coast of a tree blowing over and striking power lines. Other reports from Paraparaumu say trees have fallen over the road.
Meanwhile, New Zealand is forecast to see miserable weather across the country for the first weekend of February as temperatures are set to drop and showers and wind afflicting much of the country.
MetService meteorologist Stephen Glassey said, that although watches and warnings have not been issued, it’s still going to be very windy for much of the North Island.
“There is a strong westerly flow moving over the country bringing with it showers,” he said.
“Expect it to be very windy [Saturday] even where there aren’t watches or warnings in force.”
A Heavy Wind Watch has been forecast for Taranaki from 10am to 5pm on Saturday with MetService saying “Westerly winds may approach severe gale in exposed places.”
Glassey said it’s forecast to look windy through the central North Island, especially around the Tararua District central Hawke’s Bay, and Tāmaki Makaurau.
“There is a strong and higher than normal wind anomaly for most of the North Island.”
High winds are predicted for Auckland’s Harbour Bridge from 10am until 2pm. This follows Waka Kotahi’s strong wind warning issued for the bridge yesterday evening.
Glassely pointed to a low-pressure system coming across the country from the southwest bringing with it a decent band of rain, showers and possible thunderstorms.
“Lots of places over the North Island and the South Island can expect more showers, but they will ease by the end of the day, turning into more isolated showers,” he said.
“Earlier in South Island and later on in the North Island.”
Glassely warned we should all expect chillier weather tomorrow as temperatures will be significantly colder than the balmy highs New Zealand has been experiencing over the past two weeks.
Auckland reached a high of nearly 30C on Wednesday - the hottest day in four years.
“The north of the North Island should experience temperatures in the low 20s, the central and bottom of the North Island places like Manuawatu, Hawke’s Bay and Wellington will hit the high teens.”
However, he said the weather is supposed to clear up by Sunday.
“A ridge of high pressure will come across the North Island, bringing high temperatures and less wind.”
