Wet, windy weather to dominate the country for the end of the week

Thursday, 1 November 2018

Damage could be seen outside Perpetual Guardian offices in Wellington after power lines were downed.

The weather is taking a turn for the worse to close out the week, and MetService is warning of gales, heavy rain, thunderstorms and snow on alpine roads.

Poor conditions have already struck Wellington, where power lines along Customhouse Quay have been downed, leaving traffic in the central city to be diverted.

Other streets affected include Panama, Featherston, and Hunter streets.

Police were called to the scene at 6.05am and diversion was put in place, blocking Customhouse Quay off from motorists at the street's intersection with Lambton Quay and Willis St.

* Niwa says spring expected to be a normal old season**

A construction worker on site said the downed cables were primarily internet cables, not live wires.

A front is forecast to cross much of the North Island during Thursday morning, bringing rain and a broad low risk of thunderstorms. However, the risk of thunderstorms was considered moderate for a time in Taranaki and the west coast from Waitomo to up to Northland.

Any thunderstorms that eventuate were expected to produce brief heavy rain of up to 20mm per hour, hail up to 20mm in diametre and strong wind gusts around 90 kmh.

Meanwhile, deep cold air is expected over the lower South Island, bringing showers laced with hail to coastal parts of Southland, Clutha and Dunedin, together with a low risk of thunderstorms.

MetService said for the whole North Island on Thursday, rain would be spreading from the southwest with heavy falls and thunderstorms in the west, followed by showers with possible hail and strong southerlies.

Snow was expected to lower to 900 metres for a time, possibly affecting the Desert Road, while showers would become isolated in the evening and retreat to the east coast.

Marlborough, Nelson, Buller and Westland were forecast to receive rain with snow above 800 metres, clearing in the morning, and a few showers in the afternoon, mainly about the ranges and Kaikōura Coast.

In Canterbury a few showers were predicted, some possibly heavy in the south during the afternoon, then clearing in the evening.

Otago, Southland and Fiordland were expected to be mostly fine at first, but showers in Southland, spreading throughout for a time this afternoon, some heavy, and possibly thundery in North Otago.

But small amounts of snow on alpine roads was also expected on Thursday morning and in places, during the afternoon.

Those roads included the Desert Road (SH1), Lewis Pass (SH7), Arthur's Pass (SH73), Porters Pass (SH73), Lindis Pass (SH8) and the Crown Range Road.

THE REST OF THE WEEK

On Friday, a narrow ridge over New Zealand moves away to the east allowing a strong and moist northwest flow to spread over central and southern New Zealand, according to MetService.

An active front is then expected to cross the South Island from the west on Saturday, then across the North Island on Sunday, followed by a change to unsettled westerlies through Monday.

There is a high risk that rainfall accumulations could reach warning amounts in widespread parts of the South Island from late Friday to Saturday.

There's a moderate to low risk same could occur about the Tararua Range, northern Taranaki and King Country from Saturday to Sunday.

Over the weekend, there's a moderate risk that northwest gales may reach severe gale force about Fiordland, Southland, Southern Lakes, Central Otago, Canterbury and Marlborough, with a high risk about the Marlborough Sounds, Wellington, Wairarapa and the Tararua District.

On Sunday, there's a low risk of severe northwest gales about southern Taranaki, Wanganui, Taihape, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne as the weakening front moves away, leaving a showery westerly flow over the country.

Despite the poor weather forecast, there's a silver lining.

Niwa is predicting next week to be warmer than average with summer-like temperatures.

FRIDAY

North Island, Mainly fine, showers and southerly gales at first about the East Coast. Cloud developing later in the west. South Island, Rain developing in the west, with heavy falls and severe northerly gales for Fiordland. Cloud thickening in the east, with late scattered rain.

SATURDAY

North Island, Rain south of Hamilton, with heavy falls for the Tararua District and northern Taranaki. Cloudy with patchy rain further north. Gale or severe gale northwesterlies. South Island, Heavy rain in the west, scattered falls in the east. Gale or severe gale northwesterlies turning westerly later.

SUNDAY

North Island, Rain clearing in the morning then becoming mainly fine. South Island, Rain in the west, and scattered rain in the south, gradually easing. Cloudy periods elsewhere.

CHATHAM ISLANDS

Showers and southerlies die out early Friday to fine with light winds. Rain and strong northerlies return on Sunday. Northerlies turning strong southwest later on Sunday.