Red sky weather warning
Taranaki residents were treated to a red sunrise yesterday morning ahead of heavy rain and strong wind watches forecast for the remainder of the week.
Those up early enough were able to catch a glimpse of a brilliant purple and red hued sky as the sun rose over the region after 6am.
Many shared their photos online, with a number echoing the old saying – Red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning.
One South Taranaki farmer, located just south of Hāwera, posted a picture to the Facebook group Extreme Weather Taranaki Discussion Page. Like most farmers in the region, he was hoping for a bit of rain.
Helene Whelan from Normanby was able to capture the sunrise at her property. She loved the colours and the way the morning looked “airy” but she had her fingers crossed for some rain.
New Plymouth mayor Neil Holdom said Taranaki “specialises” in weather; wind and rain were nothing new for the region. He was able to capture the sunrise and posted it to his Facebook page with a message for the region to keep safe, adding he was concerned about the “significant swell” expected for Waitara.
“[We] encourage people to keep clear of the river mouth and low-lying areas including Marine Park and the Rahotu Block on the northern side of the river.”
Taranaki Emergency Management would monitor the situation closely and had already reached out to community leaders, he said.
Metservice predicted a wild 48 hours for the Taranaki region.
An orange heavy rain warning was issued from 12pm to 9am today with warnings that the expected 200 to 250mm of rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, surface flooding and slips.
A strong wind watch was in place for the region south of the mountain until 9am today. Northerly winds were predicted to approach “severe gale” in exposed places.