Weather: 110kmh gales cut power as wintry blast brings thunderstorms and snow

Wednesday, 22 July 2020

Gusts of up to 110kmh are possible in exposed areas of the upper North Island on Wednesday.

Fire crews in Auckland have been called out to fallen trees and some homes are without power as strong winds set in on Wednesday.

Gales up to 110kmh are expected for the upper North Island, many areas could have thunderstorms, and snow could fall to as low as 500 metres in the deep south on a wintry day.

As the flood waters recede in Northland the full extent of the damage is becoming clear.

MetService is forecasting southwest gales gusting to 110kmh in exposed places through the day in Northland, Auckland and Coromandel Peninsula.

It’s expected to be chilly, with Auckland and Whāngārei only getting to 14 degrees Celsius, along with frequent showers, some heavy.

For Northland, the gales and heavy showers follow severe downpours which left the region cut off, with floods and dangerous slips blocking state highways.

* Heavy snow risk for central North Island, parts of South Island, gales in north

* Big seas, gales, snow to low levels as southwesterly flow batters New Zealand

MetService meteorologist Amy Rossiter said a trough is moving over the country, bringing strong winds.

Rossiter said people should make sure their belongings were tied down.

MetService said: “People are advised to keep up to date with forecasts in case any changes are made, or further areas are added.”

Craig Dally, a spokesman for Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) said firefighters had been called to about six weather-related incidents in Auckland as bad weather rolled in.

Crews were responding to trees down and a roof lifting at an industrial business in Silverdale.

The calls had mainly come from south Auckland, Pukekohe, Tuakau, Waiuku and Titirangi. There had been no call outs so far to Northland, the Coromandel Peninsula and coastal parts of Waikato, Dally said.

Snow in Southland last winter. There’s a chance of a heavy dump on for southern parts of the region on Thursday.

Strong winds in West Auckland brought a tree down across Waitākere Rd, with motorists jumping in to help clear one lane of traffic.

Meanwhile, falling trees and flying debris cut power to hundreds of Counties Power customers on Wednesday.

Spokeswoman Jodine Laing-Reeve said power had now been restored to 200 properties in Tuakau and 70 in Mangatawhiri, but there were still some smaller blackouts across the region.

“These winds are causing havoc on the lines when they bring debris and trees.”

Hamilton – where the southwesterlies are forecast to be “strong” – is forecast to reach just 13C, with heavy and frequent showers. Winds could also approach severe gale strength in exposed areas of coastal Waikato, MetService said.

MetService is warning of a risk of snow on the Desert Road during Wednesday, as well as on Lewis Pass until noon, and the Crown Range Road in the afternoon. Snow could be heavy on the Milford Road, and as much as 20cm could settle from Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning.

Snow was possible to 1000m in the central North Island on Wednesday, to 800m in the Canterbury High Country, to 600m in the Southern Lakes, and to 500m in Southland, MetService said.

Wellington is forecast to get to just 10C on Wednesday, with a strong southerly change and clearing showers. Christchurch is also headed for 10C, with southwesterlies and showers clearing during the morning.

MetService issued a heavy snow watch for 2am to 4pm Thursday for Fiordland south of Dagg Sound and Southland south of Mossburn and Clutha. Periods of heavy snow are forecast above 400m.

On Thursday, snow could fall to 200m in Southland and Clutha and there could be snow flurries to 200m in Dunedin and Central Otago, MetService said.

Winds could gust up to 110kmh across the bottom of the South Island overnight Wednesday, and in exposed parts of Hawke’s Bay south of Hastings on Thursday.

Many parts of the North Island have a chance of thunderstorms on Wednesday, with regions most likely to be affected Northland and Auckland in the morning, while Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Waitomo Taumarunui and Taranaki could be hit through the day.

“Any thunderstorms in these areas will be accompanied by heavy showers, small hail and squally winds gusting 90 to 110kmh,” MetService said.

The very bottom of the South Island also has a moderate chance of thunderstorms overnight, as a cold front moved onto southern areas late in the day, bringing a strong cold southwest change.

The unsettled southwest flow over the North Island was expected to ease during the evening and afternoon.