The MetService rain radar is showing heavy rain ahead for Auckland, Northland and the Coromandel. Photo: MetService
Much of Aotearoa should prepare for unsettled weather this evening and over the next few days, MetService meteorologist John Law says.
"Many of us will find it will be really gusty, really squally winds ... and they really will be quite blustery - bringing with them some heavy rainfall perhaps as we go through this afternoon and this evening .... and some risk of hail as well.
"But for most of us, we will find some hefty showers and some really strong winds over both today and also ... towards tomorrow."
Law said small tornadoes were not out of the question with the North Island's west coast being most at risk of damage from strong winds.
Auckland Emergency Management acting general manager Anna Wallace said although there were no severe weather watches or warnings for the region at this stage, the agency was prepared to respond if necessary.
"Auckland Emergency Management will be closely montioring the MetService forecast throughout the day today, and should that weather forecast change, we will be provide further updates to the Auckland public."
The agency encouraged people in the region to take care while driving, tie down any outdoor furniture and check their drains and gutters for blockages.
The cold front was bringing snow to parts of central North Island, too.
MetService has issued a heavy snow watch for Taihape from 10am-6pm on Tuesday, with heavy snow above 700 metres.
In the deep south, another heavy snow watch had been issued for Fiordland, Southland, southern Otago and Stewart Island from 5pm Monday until 11am Tuesday.
MetService said people in those areas could expect periods of heavy snow above 300 metres, where amounts may approach warning criteria, and some snow could also affect areas down to sea level on Tuesday morning.
Road snowfall warnings were in place for the following routes:
- Napier-Taupō Road (State Highway 5) from 2-9pm on Tuesday, when rain could turn to snow and up to 1cm accumulate above 700m
- Desert Road (SH1) from 10am to midnight on Tuesday; 5-10cm of snow to accumulate above 700 metres mainly south of the summit, with lesser amounts lower down
- Remutaka Hill Road (SH2) from noon to 7pm Tuesday; rain turning to snow above 400m, and 1-3cm may accumulate about the summit
- Lewis Pass (SH7) from 2am-9am Tuesday; 3-5cm could accumulate about the road
- Arthur's Pass (SH73) from 1am-7am Tuesday; 1-2cm could accumulate about the road
- Porter's Pass (SH73) from 1am-7am Tuesday; 2-5cm could accumulate about the road
- Haast Pass (SH6) from 7pm Monday to 3am Tuesday; up to 1cm may settle about the road above 400m
- Lindis Pass (SH8) from 9pm Monday to 4am Tuesday; 1-2cm may accumulate above 500m, with lesser amounts lower down
- Crown Range Road from 7pm Monday to noon Tuesday; expect 4-6cm of snow to accumulate above 500m, with lesser amounts lower down
- Dunedin to Waitati Highway (SH1) from 8pm Monday to 9am Tuesday; 1-2cm possibly accumulating about the summit
- Milford Road (SH94) from 4pm Monday to noon Tuesday; 5-10cm may accumulate above 500m, with lesser amounts lower down
Windy weather, thunderstorms and snowfall. There's a lot to fit in the forecast today. https://t.co/KqFoMNvrRr
— MetService (@MetService) September 16, 2024
Polar conditions rolled through parts of the South Island overnight and much of the country could expect colder than average temperatures.
Law told Morning Report it was "definitely a cold and wintery night".
And it wouldn't be the last, with some places 8C colder than usual, particularly in the south, he said.
Some areas in the south would see night time temperatures back down below zero.
A south-westerly wind would make it feel colder too, Law said.
"It's worth saying that we're all going to find a bit of cool air coming up towards us as we head through this week," he said.
"Even as we head in towards [Tuesday] night, towards Wednesday, I think we'll find those temperatures back down below average for many spots, even on the North Island as well.
"Spring is a classic season for that real changeability in the weather, we can see our temperatures flip-flopping and yo-yoing as we go through the season.
"It really is one of those changeable seasons but this definitely is on the colder side."
There was a possibility of snowfall on the higher roads around the Central Plateau and Raukūmara Range.
"So really worth taking extra care, extra caution on any of those higher roads ... over the next couple of days."
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