Severe weather hits south

Southland Times

Workmen on the roof of a recently built Te Anau property yesterday morning after a violent storm hit the area overnight blowing most of the metal roof into the front yard.

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A cool southerly change is just beginning its march into Canterbury, with gusty north-westerly winds now easing around much of the region.
 
The warm nor'wester that kicked in last night with overnight temperatures as high as 23 degrees Celsius has gusted to around 80 km/h in coastal Canterbury and higher inland. However, MetService said it had not received any reports of damage.
 
Severe gales powerful enough to damage trees and power lines were forecast to lash the lower part of the North Island and the east coast of the South Island today.

MetService said a front moving up the South Island would bring northwesterly gales to Marlborough, Wellington and southern Wairarapa through most of the day.

Temperatures in Christchurch peaked at 28C earlier this afternoon but are now starting to fall.
 
The southerly is expected to reach the city by early evening but no rain is forecast.
 
MetService spokesman Bob McDavitt said temperatures would drop to single figures by the morning.
 
It would be a "boisterous week" weatherwise.
 
"Fronts are rolling through all week - one today, one on Wednesday, all in a westerly airflow.
 
"It's easing away now but wind warnings are still in place for inland parts of Canterbury, with gusts to 140km/h. Once you get to 110 km/h that's when you start to get roofs being lifted and other problems," he said.

Drivers have been warned to be careful on the roads with gales reaching 140kmh in inland Canterbury, 130kmh in eastern Otago and 120kmh in Marlborough, Wellington and southern Wairarapa.

"Winds of this strength have the potential to damage trees and powerlines and may make driving hazardous, especially for motorcycles and high-sided vehicles," a MetService spokesman said.

One Air New Zealand flight from Auckland to Wellington this morning was diverted to Palmerston North, because of strong winds. After a stop in Palmerston North, it was now due to arrive at 12.30pm in Wellington.

The high winds are forecast to ease in Otago by mid morning, Canterbury by mid afternoon, Marlborough by 6pm and the southern part of the North Island by 9pm.

The front is also expected to bring intense thundery rain to Westland this morning reaching Buller by this afternoon with 60mm to 90mm expected in the period from 9am to 1pm today.

The heavy rain is expected to swell the headwaters of Canterbury's lakes and rivers of south of the Waimakariri River.

The front should weaken as it moves to the Cook Strait area this evening but about eight hours of heavy rain bringing up 80mm rain is expected in the Tararua Range as it passes.

- with The Dominion Post and NZPA

- © Fairfax NZ News