Gita picked to pack punch
Gear up for possible power cuts, water outages, road closures, even evacuation, Kiwis told
Civil Defence is warning Kiwis to be prepared for Cyclone Gita, which is expected to blast parts of the country with gale-force winds and heavy rain.
The heavy weather — which could bring snow to Canterbury — is due from tomorrow evening as the cyclone migrates to New Zealand after devastating Samoa and Tonga last week.
Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management ( MCDEM) director Sarah Stuart-Black said it would monitor the situation and was ready to co-ordinate assistance if it was needed.
“Cyclone Gita has the potential to pack a punch and cause a lot of disruption. Now is the perfect time to plan ahead.
“This means preparing for the possibility of power cuts, water outages and road closures that could leave you or your loved ones stranded. It’s also a good idea to have a grab bag ready in case you need to evacuate.”
If you do not have an emergency plan, get together with family or housemates to get it done.
MCDEM advised people to secure, or move inside, anything that could cause damage in strong winds, as well as closing windows and curtains to prevent injury from broken glass.
People should stay inside and take pets inside and, if they had to leave, take them with them.
Listen to the radio, follow emergency services’ instructions and avoid non-essential travel during severe weather, the ministry said.
Cyclone Gita is homing in on New Zealand and is expected to hit the South Island’s western coast hardest but forecasters say almost everyone will experience some wet or windy weather.
WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan said the worst swells would be from New Plymouth to Hokitika, but Westport could be “clobbered” by the centre of Gita, with dangerous winds and coastal conditions.
Gita would approach the western coastline of the South Island tomorrow night, bringing heavy rainfall and violent winds, with wind gusts in wide areas in the northern South Island.
After tomorrow night, heavy rain is expected to persist, mainly in the central South Island, yet the distribution of strong wind and rainfall is uncertain, as models disagreed on the development of the cyclone.
The predicted ex-tropical cyclone would be preceded by a front that would hit the south of the North Island today.
The activated front would produce heavy rainfall.
MetService meteorologist Claire Flynn said the extent of the cyclone would be “widespread, crossing through central New Zealand”.
Even places not on watch could get rain and wind, she said.
The MetService had a heavy rain warning for Nelson, Buller District, Kapiti, Wellington, Marlborough, Canterbury, Westland and North Otago from early tomorrow.
Strong wind watches were in place for Taranaki, Taihape, Whanganui, Nelson, Buller, Westland, Willington and Marlborough from tomorrow afternoon.
“Pretty much across the board, everyone will see something,” Flynn said.
People under the weather watches should prepare for the worst.
“Things like bringing in outdoor furniture, cleaning gutters and checking moorings for boats, go to the GetThru website, they can give a breakdown in place.”
There is also a possibility of unseasonable snow in Canterbury as the cyclone drags cool air with it.
Snow is predicted to fall in the Canterbury High Country tomorrow.
It may affect some of the alpine roads around Canterbury, said MetService.