Auckland (The NZ Today)
New Zealanders are being urged to keep a close eye on weather warnings before travelling this weekend, with a fast-moving weather system bringing damaging winds, heavy rain, thunderstorms and snow to parts of the country.
MetService says an active front is moving across Aotearoa, producing unsettled conditions from the South Island through to the lower North Island. Current warnings and watches include strong winds, heavy rain and road snowfall risks, with conditions expected to remain changeable through the weekend.
The scale of the system was already evident overnight, with more than 3,000 lightning strikes recorded across New Zealand in a 12-hour period, according to MetService meteorologist Heather Keats.
Some of the strongest winds were recorded in exposed areas. Gusts reached about 135km/h at Mt Kaukau in Wellington, while an extreme gust of 211km/h was recorded in the Canterbury high country. MetService warned severe northwesterlies could affect Wellington, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Marlborough and Canterbury.
Heavy rain is another concern, particularly around parts of the South Island and lower North Island. The Tararua Range, Canterbury headwaters and Buller are among areas where significant rainfall has been forecast as the front moves through.
The weather is also expected to turn wintry at higher elevations, with a road snowfall warning for Milford Road adding another potential hazard for motorists. Thunderstorms, hail and sudden heavy downpours are also possible in western and southern parts of the country.
MetService has warned that some thunderstorms could become particularly squally, producing abrupt changes in wind and visibility. There is even a possibility of small tornadoes in parts of the South Island’s West Coast, although such events would be localised.
For travellers, the rapidly changing conditions could mean difficult driving, fallen branches, surface flooding and disruption on alpine routes.
MetService describes Orange Warnings as significant weather events where people should take action to reduce risks to themselves, property and animals. Forecasts and warnings can change quickly, so people are being advised to check the latest information before setting out.
Although the most intense conditions will vary from region to region, the broader outlook points to a showery and unsettled weekend for much of New Zealand.
Source: MetService, 1News reporting
