Winds ease for a settled weekend - Thursday 10 March 2016

MetService News Release
Thursday 10 March 2016

Winds ease for a settled weekend - Thursday 10 March 2016

A cold front is sweeping up New Zealand today bringing severe gales to much of the South Island and lower North Island. The worst of the winds ease off on Friday morning as an area of high pressure builds over the country for a settled weekend.

Severe northwest gales gusting 140 km/h were recorded at Castlepoint today, with damaging gusts of 160km/h possible for exposed parts of inland Otago and the Canterbury High Country. “Winds of this strength could bring down trees and powerlines, and make driving hazardous,” said Meteorologist Emma Blades. The strong northwesterlies will bring some warm Foehn winds to eastern areas today, with temperatures possibly getting up into the thirties there.

As the cold front travels north we will feel a marked changed in temperature as the flow turns southerly. “Daytime maximums will be lucky to reach the mid-teens in Southland, Otago and Canterbury tomorrow,” commented Ms Blades. The southerly flow will also bring a short burst of large swell to eastern and southern coasts on Friday, including Wellington.

The weekend will be more settled, as a ridge of high pressure moves over New Zealand, returning us to normal autumnal temperatures. This means plenty of sunshine up in Auckland for those enjoying the Pasifika Festival. The weather’s not looking too bad for the Taranaki Anniversary weekend either, but the locals can expect a bit of cloud, and possibly a few showers on Sunday and Monday.

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