Capital calm as storms rattle around country

Wellington has been an overcast oasis of calm as thunder and flooding rattled and drenched New Zealand into 2021.

What many sitting in traffic jams to get out of Wellington around the Christmas and New Year’s period didn’t then realise was their holiday plans were about to get soggy.

Heavy weekend rain flooded parts of Coromandel, then thunderstorms with heavy downpours pelted much of the North Island. Those who headed south did little better with floods hitting Otago.

Wellington traditionally empties out over the Christmas break but First Retail Group managing director Chris Wilkinson said the summer of 2020-21 was a break from tradition and thanks to Covid-19.

People being unable to travel overseas meant more people visiting Wellington, where hospitality and accommodation businesses were unusually busy, as were places such as Te Papa, Zealandia and Wellington Zoo.

Meanwhile, damaging hail and a small tornado were forecast in parts of Taupo¯ and Taihape late yesterday, as well as in Hawke’s Bay and the Tararua district.

At Waikaia in Southland, campground owner Graeme Coats said the rain yesterday was reminiscent of the 1984 floods.

Parts of Otago and Canterbury were flooded on Saturday, leaving motorists stranded because of closed highways.

MetService meteorologist Tom Adams said the rain – focused in North Otago and parts of Canterbury – was caused by a slowmoving low wrapped up in semitropical air.

Rainfall gauges and the rain radar showed heavy downpours in the 36 hours up to midnight Saturday with a ‘‘significant number’’ of places recording 100 millimetres to 200mm in that period. One rain gauge between Dunedin and amaru recorded 214mm.

The Dunedin City Council said a lightning strike cut power to Middlemarch about 2.30pm yesterday.