New Zealand Local Weather Forum
Archive Library => 2017 => Archives => July => Topic started by: JennyLeez on July 13, 2017, 02:41:16 PM
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The bad weather is hammering the North Island.
Wellington's Ngauranga Gorge was closed in both directions while a sign dislodged by gales was fixed. The road re-opened at 1.50pm.
A rescue operation is underway for a dozen motorists stuck on State Highway 5 between Napier and Taupo.
As the storm moves north, Wellington has been hit by the strongest winds in 7 months - 114kmh.
Out in the Cook Strait, one gust hit 167kmh.
Significant disruption is hitting Wellington International Airport.
Flooding has washed out bridges in the Wairapa. More than 1300 homes are without power in the capital.
The highest-recorded wave height in the Strait was 10m, according to Niwa. The sustained wind speed is typical of a category 3 tropical cyclone.
All highways in the Central Plateau are shut due to snow. In the South Island, all alpine passes are shut.
Cook Strait ferries and Wellington harbour ferries have been canceled.
Large parts of the Wairarapa have been hit by flooding, which has closed roads and washed out bridges.
The withering storm lashing the lower North Island on Thursday has hit Wairarapa hard.
Roads across Masterton have been swamped with water including Jones Place and Cockburn St in Masterton's east, which have been completely flooded.
Both lanes of State Highway 2, between Masterton and Carterton near Wiltons Rd, have been flooded. There is a 30kmh limit in place through the area.
In Martinborough, the town square has been hit by surface flooding, while the Ponatahi Bridge, just outside the town, has also been closed by the rapidly-rising Huangarua River.
In Carterton, there is surface flooding on the corner of Chester Rd, Longbush Rd and throughout Parkvale.
MetService meteorologist Mark Todd said eastern and central regions of the South Island would continue to be affected by widespread snow showers for the next 24 hours.
Flooding is also affecting Kokotau by the bridge.
Down south:
MetService meteorologist Mark Todd said eastern and central regions of the South Island would continue to be affected by widespread snow showers for the next 24 hours.
The worst affected areas were inland, mid and north Canterbury and Kaikoura where heavy snow was expected down to 200m.
"In this area we expect the showers to start easing later today and the snow level to rise gradually but the snow showers will still persist overnight into Friday," said Todd.
It's good news for the far south where few snow showers are expected across the lower South Island as the weather starts to improve from the blast.
But the focus was now firmly on the lower half of the North Island, as the low deepened overnight and rain intensified across the island.
"We're expecting snow to fall possibly as low as 300m in some places," Todd said.
"It's snowing on the Rimutaka Hill Rd and we have a warning for possible heavy falls of rain and snow falls at high levels for Wairarapa, including the Tararua District, Wellington, the Kapiti Coast and the Manawatu Ranges."
The worst affected areas were inland, mid and north Canterbury and Kaikoura where heavy snow was expected down to 200m.
"In this area we expect the showers to start easing later today and the snow level to rise gradually but the snow showers will still persist overnight into Friday," said Todd.
It's good news for the far south where few snow showers are expected across the lower South Island as the weather starts to improve from the blast.
But the focus was now firmly on the lower half of the North Island, as the low deepened overnight and rain intensified across the island.
"We're expecting snow to fall possibly as low as 300m in some places," Todd said.
"It's snowing on the Rimutaka Hill Rd and we have a warning for possible heavy falls of rain and snow falls at high levels for Wairarapa, including the Tararua District, Wellington, the Kapiti Coast and the Manawatu Ranges."
At the same time gales were lashing much of the country early today.
Winds of 167km/h have rocketed through Cook Strait, according to Weatherwatch.co.nz.
The forecaster says at 7.45am wind were averaging 80km/h and gusting to 115 km/h in Wellington city and at the airport.
The damaging gale force winds were expected to peak this morning before easing throughout the day.
At 6am the Desert Rd was the only major highway closed because of snow.
At the same time gales were lashing much of the country early today.
Winds of 167km/h have rocketed through Cook Strait, according to Weatherwatch.co.nz.
The forecaster says at 7.45am wind were averaging 80km/h and gusting to 115 km/h in Wellington city and at the airport.
The damaging gale force winds were expected to peak this morning before easing throughout the day.
At 6am the Desert Rd was the only major highway closed because of snow.