Wet and wild ride into 2021
The wet and wild weather that caused chaos across much of the country yesterday is set to continue today before easing tomorrow.
More than 1600 lightning strikes pinged the country in just two hours yesterday afternoon and were set to continue into the evening. MetService recorded 1686 lightning strikes over two hours up to 3pm, including a “humungous cluster” near Dannevirke.
A severe thunderstorm watch was in place until 10pm for a large chunk of the North Island — stretching from the Far North through Hamilton, across Hawke’s Bay and to Masterton. MetService also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Timaru and Waimate just after 3.30pm. A similar warning was in place for the Canterbury Plains and High Country, North Otago and Central Otago as well as Dunedin and Clutha.
MetService warned of another day of rain, after numerous roads were closed on Saturday by flooding, slips and debris.
Travellers were asked to stay put until the weather cleared.
MetService meteorologist Tuporo Marsters yesterday said parts of the North Island were in for a third day of bad weather today.
“We’ve got a moderate risk from the Bay of Plenty through to Gisborne and including the Hawke’s Bay region for thunderstorms.
“It’s not as severe as we had [yesterday], but there is a risk.”
There was set to be some reprieve from the wet weather tomorrow for most of the North Island and the top of the South Island — but it was a different story for those in other parts of the south.
“We’ve got rain symbols from Fiordland to Invercargill,” Marsters said.
“The lower southwest of the South Island, Fiordland, and down to Invercargill, we’ve got another rain system affecting those guys.”