With spring just days away, winter refuses to bow out quietly as severe winds and heavy rain are set to batter parts of the country.
A subtropical low north of New Zealand is expected to move southeast along northern and eastern parts of the North Island tomorrow, bringinga period of heavy rain and strong southeast gales.
Winter strikes again with an active front, preceded by northerly gales, which will approach the South Island from the Tasman Sea tomorrow and move over southern areas on Thursday morning.
MetService meteorologist Oscar Shiviti told the Herald winter was still very much in effect, with multiple weather alerts issued across both islands.
“We are expecting a front to move up the South Island starting from late Wednesday or probably early morning on Thursday, and that should move up the country, resulting in heavy rain for a lot of the areas in the west of the South Island, as well as strong winds.
“However, before we get to that, there is also a risk for strong winds and some rain in the upper parts of the country,” Shiviti said.
Shiviti said MetService was expecting strong winds to batter Northland from today.
“They’re mostly experienced in exposed places, but then from tomorrow, pretty much a lot of people will have those stronger winds.
“The gusts that we’re expecting, reaching about 100km/h are only expected in Great Barrier Island at this stage.”
Severe winds and heavy rain are set to batter parts of the country. Photo / Michael Craig
Watches and warnings
Gisborne/Tairawhiti, north of Gisborne City, is under a heavy rain watch until midnight tomorrow.
The headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers are under the same watch, which came into effect from 4am and will last until 2pm Thursday.
Fiordland is also under a heavy rain watch from midnight tomorrow to noon on Thursday.
Several regions are set to be struck by severe winds in the coming days and have been issued strong wind watches, MetService said.
These regions include eastern areas of Northland and Great Barrier Island, Central Otago and the Queenstown Lakes District, Fiordland, Southland and Stewart Island.
Auckland Emergency Management advised people to bring inside or tie down anything that can be broken or picked up by strong winds.
The severe winds are expected to last 12 hours, which could turn branches and firewood into missiles.
Is spring on the way?
A brief period of warmer spring-like overnight temperatures is on the horizon.
The North Island from Thursday and into the weekend will get a rise in overnight temperatures to around 10C, Shiviti said.
“They will feel the warm temperatures, but then it dips back as that front arrives later on.
“The only thing we can say is that people will feel this last week of winter as that front pushes through.
“There is a chance for snow to higher level areas, but at this stage that’s not the emphasis, the more emphasis [is] on the rain, heavier rain on the western half of the South Island as well as cold temperatures as that front moves north,” Shiviti said.
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