Severe thunderstorm watch for North Island, king tides expected

Tuesday, 2 January 2018

2018's weather is off with a BANG.

2018 is off to a cracking start, as MetService warns thunderstorms could become severe in the North Island and the country may experience higher-than-normal tides.

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A severe thunderstorm watch for much of the North Island was issued on Tuesday, with MetService expecting heavy rainfall to be accompanied flash flooding, surface flooding, and potential slips.

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued.

#Auckland you guys could get some heavy showers with thunderstorms from about midday today. Surface flooding could result so be prepared! https://t.co/GZIq9Jlbrw ^AC pic.twitter.com/8hPSAVXB7Q

— MetService (@MetService) January 1, 2018

MetService meteorologist April Clark said there was also 'a chance for waves to come in quite a lot higher than normal'.

Meanwhile, more stormy weather was heading for New Zealand later in the week, she said.

'What we have coming up is a rapidly developing low that's currently forming in the north, then moving over the North Island from Thursday.'

Northland through to the Bay of Plenty were 'very exposed' areas, Clark said, and would be the most vulnerable to high tides.

The low was expected to progress south later in the week, as far as Christchurch, before moving east and away from the country.

'Late Friday and Saturday is when the worst will happen for the upper South Island,' Clark said.

A super 'wolf moon' is due to light up the sky on Tuesday night. Niwa forecaster Chris Brandolino said the combination of the low and the supermoon could adversely affect the weather, but it was a matter of timing.

'If you get a significant weather event that happens to align itself with a king tide, that's when it can exacerbate the problems. And the arrival of this unusually strong low-pressure weather system at the time of the highest king tides for 2018 is a reason for concern for areas that are prone to flooding,' he said.

'The ingredients are all there, it's just whether or not they happen at the right time. If the two come together and it's also a low tide, it won't be such a big deal.'

The highest king tides are expected to hit Nelson, Tasman, Christchurch, and the west coast of Auckland on January 4, and the east coast of Auckland on January 5.

Tuesday's severe thunderstorm warning is valid until 10pm and affects the following regions: Auckland, Coromandel Peninsula, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taupo, Gisborne, Hawkes Bay, Taranaki, Taihape, Wanganui, Manawatu, Tararua, and the Wairarapa.