Hundreds spend night without power after gale-force winds
Hundreds of homes in Canterbury spent the night without power after strong gusts tore through the South Island causing power outages to thousands of homes yesterday.
The severe weather was set to continue this morning with heavy rain and severe gale-force wind warnings from MetService in place until this afternoon.
An Orion spokesperson confirmed yesterday evening that 595 homes in central and rural Canterbury remained without power overnight.
More than 2000 homes in central and rural Canterbury were affected by power outages yesterday, while Otago had ‘‘small clusters’’ of homes without power overnight, a spokesperson for Aurora Energy said.
The main areas in Canterbury affected overnight were Annat, Sheffield, Springfield, Hororata and Coalgate. The crews would be out at first light to these areas, she said.
Areas in Timaru and Ikawai were also expected to be without power for the night.
A spokesperson for Alpine Energy said by late yesterday evening 181 customers in Arowhenua, Ikawai, Seadown, Waipopo and Washdyke were still without power. The company was working to restore power to most of the households affected, but said some customers in Arowhenua and Ikawai would be without it throughout the night.
The active front that caused havoc across the South Island was set to move up the country last night and into this morning.
The front was expected to continue to bring significant rain to western and central parts of the South Island and severe gales to parts of the South Island, as well as Wellington and southern Wairarapa.
MetService had strong wind warnings in place from yesterday into early afternoon today in Wellington, Wairarapa south of Greytown, and Marlborough with northwest gales forecast to be severe in exposed places at times, with gusts reaching 120kph.
Canterbury and Westland had strong wind watches overnight easing by this morning.
Heavy rain warnings were in place through until this afternoon in Tasman west of Motueka, Buller south of Little Wanganui, Westland south of Otira, and the headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers, about and south of Arthur’s Pass.
MetService warned heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips were also possible and driving conditions could be hazardous.
MetService forecaster Aidan Pyselman said more than 10 weather stations in the South Island recorded winds topping 100kph yesterday, with a ‘‘really exposed’’ station in the Canterbury High Country recording up to 220kph.
MetService expected snow showers on higher parts of Lindis Pass, Crown Range Rd and Milford Rd from tonight into tomorrow morning.
The wild weather caused flights across the country to be cancelled yesterday.
Motorists were also disrupted by the weather as trees were downed in strong gusts.
Fire and Emergency attended several weather-related call-outs throughout the day yesterday including multiple incidents of roofs being lifted and blowing away, downed trees, and downed power lines.
Strong wind and downed power lines caused a vegetation fire in Sheffield in Selwyn, a Fire and Emergency spokesperson said.