Few reports of damage from winds

There was more bark than bite in gale-force winds that lashed the south in the early hours of yesterday morning, with few reports of damage.

MetService forecaster Marylin Avery said the west to southwest flow followed northwesterly winds on Monday that led to the mercury reaching into the 20s across the region.

The cold front that flowed brought with it wind speeds that spiked about midnight, Ms Avery said.

The top wind speed of 150kmh was recorded at Mid Dome, in Northern Southland, about midnight, while Gore posted a top speed of 93kmh, she said.

One wind gust to hit Invercargill measured 105kmh at 2am while the average speed recorded on Mt Benger, near Roxburgh, was 107kmh, Ms Avery said.

Conditions were calmer in the Queenstown Lakes district with a top wind speed of 75kmh.

The wind had the potential to cause damage, but often that depended on its direction of travel. In Southland, westerly air flows were the prevailing winds.

"I think down there your trees are well anchored."

Only one fire service callout was made across the south as a result of the winds.

The Kingswell Fire Service was called to a house in Elles Rd in Invercargill at 1.42am to secure loose roofing iron.

Powernet network operations manager Gary Pritchard said gusts caused intermittent power interruptions in the south but power was restored to customers promptly.

Spring winds provide a boon for electricity generation at Meridian Energy's White Hill wind farm 6km southeast of Mossburn, but much of yesterday's wind exceeded its capabilities.

A Meridian spokesman said the 29 turbines at the wind farm operated at wind speeds of between 14.4kmh and 90kmh with a nominal speed of 54kmh - or the speed at which a turbine reaches its full generating capacity of 2MW.

Between 54kmh and 90kmh the turbine generates a constant amount of electricity.

When the wind reaches 90kmh the turbines automatically turn themselves off to prevent potential damage.

The turbines, which have been working since October 2007, have a combined capacity of 58MW, and generate enough electricity annually for 30,000 homes.

jared.morgan@stl.co.nz

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