Source: Radio New Zealand
A tree blown onto a car in the Wellington suburb of Brooklyn. RNZ / Pokere Paewai
Wind gusts measuring up to 240km/h have been recorded on the east coast of the lower North Island with gusts of up to 190km/h hitting high parts of Wellington.
MetService said the strong winds and heavy rain were set to linger over the lower North Island before gradually heading southwards later on Monday and on Tuesday.
Gusts measuring up to 240km/h have been recorded at Cape Turnagain on the east coast of the lower North Island.
While in Wellington, winds have reached up to 190km/h in high parts – and about 130km/h in the city.
MetService meteorologist John Law said a low pressure system sitting to the east of the North Island was expected to track slowly southwards.
He said heavy rain and severe gales were expected to continue over central and southern parts of the North Island as well as reaching eastern parts of the South Island and Chatham Islands.
“The good news is – as we head through the day today – we should start to see those winds easing off – so we’ve probably seen the peak of those winds. But even by Wellington standards it’s a very windy start to the week,” Law said.
A flooded Waiwhetu stream in Lower Hutt. RNZ / Mark Papalii
Law said “intense bursts of rain” had seen up to 200mm of rain fall over parts of Wairarapa overnight Monday.
“With that low pressure out to the east of the North Island it’s been pushing the rain in particularly across those lower parts. Cape Palliser has seen some of the highest rainfall. Intense bursts of rain through there and just prolonged rain through the night-time. As we saw In parts of the Hutt Valley that combination of strong winds and heavy rain are bringing all sorts of impacts,” Law said.
He said hard hit parts of southern Waikato, such as Otorohanga, should see clearing conditions over the oncoming days.
“The good news – as we head through today – this rain is clearing away down towards the south. Still a few showers possible but nowhere near the level we’ve seen in recent days. While a few showers are still possible for today things are getting better,” he said.
Law said that more weather warnings could be on the way as the low pressure system slowly headed southwards.
“This weather system is sticking with us. A big area of high pressure out to the east is blocking the movement of this low so it stays close by. It will sink southwards which will push that rain in towards parts of the South Island. So places like the Kaikōura Coast, parts of Canterbury particularly – places like Banks Peninsula – already have some severe weather watches and warnings. We may well find more issued for parts of those eastern areas of the South Island,” Law said.
Law said rain over the eastern side of the South Island was less likely to be as intense as the system migrated southwards over coming days and south westerly flows were expected to help clear the system during Tuesday and early Wednesday.
“That’s when we finally say good-bye to this weather system,” Law said.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
