Weather to be 'nasty and horrible' for next few days

Severe weather warnings are in place with strong winds and rain expected. Photo / Dean Purcell, NZ Herald

Westerly winter winds are buffeting much of New Zealand today and while they're expected to ease later, the respite will only be temporary.

Flood hit parts of the country are also in for more rain at the end of the week.

Severe weather warnings are in place for the gales hitting a good portion of the country between Stewart Island and Southern Hawke's Bay.

The winds are forecast to reach 130 km/h for most areas before easing this afternoon and rising again tomorrow. But inland areas of Canterbury are expected to cop 140 km/h gusts.

Four Square Stewart Island owner/operator Samuel Jenkinson said it was calm on the island this afternoon, although squally patches were blowing through.

"Right now you cast your eye out there and it's looking beautiful, but this morning it's been nasty as," he said.

"The anticipation is it's just going to be nasty and horrible for the next few days at least."

This was normal for this time of year, Mr Jenkinson said.

"It's the wind that takes it out of you. If you're not wearing the right clothes, the wind absolutely wastes you."

In Greytown, Wairarapa, The Top Pub publican Tony Murphy said the town was largely sheltered from the wind.

But it was a different story when he rode his motorbike over the Rimutaka Hills this morning on what he described as a "hairy" journey.

The wind was particularly severe funnelling through the Featherston straight. At one stage a fellow rider pulled over and told Mr Murphy: "Jesus, it's hairy up there".

Mr Murphy, who rides over the hills regularly, could not remember doing so in such strong gusts.

The MetService says the ferocious winds are caused by a persistent ridge over Australia and the Tasman Sea, which will push a strong west to southwest flow over the country for the next few days.

Because the westerly gales stretch from the Indian Ocean to New Zealand, significant swells are forecast for western and southern coastal areas this week. North of Raglan they are forecast to rise to four metres today and tomorrow.

They get larger heading south, with eight-metre swells expected to at times batter Fiordland and the southern coastline until Wednesday morning.

"After a busy few days with the southwest flow, the weather should settle down mid-week, especially for those who live north of Taupo," MetService Meteorologist Rob Kerr said.

"After this, however, a complex low looks set to bring significant rain to the central North Island later on Friday and into Saturday, including catchments still recovering from flooding a little over week ago.

"We know that's the last thing they need right now,and we'll be keeping close tabs on how this system is likely to affect the area."

And on Saturday the weather could be nasty in Wellington for the Hurricanes versus Highlanders Super 15 rugby final. A strong and cold southerly change early in the day is forecast to bring showers, easing towards the 7.35pm kickoff.