Large parts of the South Island are being warned winds may approach severe gale in exposed places over coming days.
In an update shortly before lunchtime today, MetService issued a “strong wind watch” across the southern reaches of the country.
From midnight on Tuesday, Queenstown Lakes District, Central Otago, Dunedin, and Clutha were expected to have northwest winds, approaching severe gale in exposed places. There was a moderate chance of upgrading the “strong wind watch” to a warning.
MetService said the Canterbury High Country was forecast to have northwest winds approaching severe gale in exposed places the following day.
The watch period was for 12 hours from 2am on Wednesday and there was also a moderate chance of upgrading the watch alert to a warning.
A strong wind watch was issued from 2am to 2pm on Wednesday for Canterbury High Country, Queenstown Lakes District, Central Otago, Dunedin, Clutha, Fiordland, Southland, and Stewart Island.
A heavy rain watch was also issued for the Westland District, south of Whataroa and Fiordland overnight on Tuesday.
“Streams and rivers may rise rapidly. Surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions possible,” MetService said.
Around the country
For the north of the North Island, the week was expected to settle into mainly fine weather. Isolated showers in Northland would clear on Monday afternoon, then develop again on Tuesday afternoon.
Taihape, Whanganui, Manawatu, Hawke’s Bay and Gisborne should expect partly cloudy conditions with isolated showers, becoming fine on Monday night through to Tuesday.
Horowhenua, Kapiti, Wellington and Wairarapa would have showers, some possibly heavy, becoming fine from late Monday through Tuesday.
Nelson, Buller and Grey districts would also be partly cloudy, with showers clearing on the West Coast by Monday afternoon and Nelson in the evening. There would be isolated showers again in the west on Tuesday morning.
Marlborough and Canterbury should expect mostly showers clearing to fine on Monday afternoon, but lingering about inland Marlborough until Monday night.
Otago, Southland, Westland and Fiordland shoudl aexpect showers, turning to heavy rain in the areas mentioned in the heavy rain watch.
The Chatham Islands should also expect rain, with possible thunderstorms, easing to showers on Monday afternoon before becoming fine on Tuesday.
