Batten down the hatches — punishing weather to linger
Cold blast will hit some areas today and monster waves are on way in east
Thunderstorms that rolled over Auckland last night were expected to ease off, but the punishing weather isn’t over. Temperatures are forecast to drop in most of the country as a cold southerly from the Antarctic approaches, said WeatherWatch analyst Philip Duncan.
He said the polar air would be travelling almost in sync with desert winds from Australia so some areas would experience highs while others would feel a shiver. He said the showers would not be heavy.
Much of the western North Island is expected to experience patches of showers throughout the day and heading into the evening.
Over on the east, it was forecast to be mainly dry as showers clear.
Meanwhile, Niwa Weather is warning that waves of up to 10 metres are forecast for tomorrow.
The big swell is due to hit areas in the east, with a particular warning for Chatham Islands.
Parts of the South Island are expected to reach well below zero today and tomorrow. Those in Dunedin may get a few snow flurries tonight and through to tomorrow morning at the peak of the cold snap.
This week’s wild weather has rattled the country with roofs flying off houses, a trampoline yesterday smashing into a moving car and a campervan flipping on to a deck.
One Taranaki farmer yesterday described the moment a tornado blew through his house and slammed his wife against a wall, breaking her collarbone.
John Bamford, a chicken farmer in rural Paraite Rd, just north of New Plymouth, was in his kitchen eating breakfast about 9.30am on Sunday when what sounded like “a freighttrain” began blowing furniture around his home.
“This thing just came up the valley, grabbed a table and threw it through my conservatory window. I just came running in and tried to grab some furniture, but it wasn’t a good move, probably.”
His wife, Maxine, was outside at the time feeding lambs.
“It slammed her against the house and it’s broken her collarbone.
“I’m not sure what other injuries she’s got, and she’s a bit concussed — she’s not talking that flash. She’s still in shock,” Bamford told the Herald.
A person driving on State Highway 3 near New Plymouth was struck by a trampoline. A police spokeswoman said there were no reports of injury “but the person is a little shook up as you can imagine”.
Last night another lashing of thunder
and lightning hit Auckland from around 7pm. More than 1700 lightning strikes were recorded on Sunday and emergency services were dealing with callouts from all around the city and down towards the south of Waikato.
Thunderstorms are possible for Auckland this morning and tonight, says MetService, which also forecasts a chance of hail in the morning, strong southwesterlies and a high of 15C.
Meanwhile, repairs were under way to fix a strip of St Heliers houses left without roofs and fences during Sunday night’s blustery weather.
Work to restore part of downtown Auckland’s The Cloud has also begun after the awning was torn off and left in tatters — some of it in the sea.
Auckland Live director Robbie Macrae said the structural damage to The Cloud was not significant.