In images: Wild weather hits Wellington

Thursday, 1 May 2025

Senior reporter Bess Manson braves wild weather near Eastbourne.

Wellington was warned to be on alert as high winds and heavy seas brought disruption with cancelled flights and ferries, slips, road closures and power cuts.

The MetService issued a rare red warning as a result of severe winds, and the Wellington City Council closed all public facilities. People were asked to seek shelter, and stay away from the Town Belt and other reserves due to the risk of falling trees.

MetService advised people to stay indoors, seek shelter away from trees and avoid travel, and be ready for power and communication outages.

Waves washed over the road near Eastbourne as a southerly storm hit Wellington.

Wellingtonians are being warned to stay away from doors and windows as the highest winds hit.

The winds could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures and could lift roofs, said Wellington Region Emergency Management.