A MetService screenshot showing most of the South Island under weather warnings or watches for Sunday. Photo: MetService
The east coast of New Zealand is bracing for strong winds on Sunday, as firefighters continue to damp down a wildfire burning in the Canterbury high country.
Saturday should see fine, sunny weather for much of Aotearoa, except for some showers in the Deep South around Dunedin and Invercargill.
Generally settled weather is forecast for the start of the weekend ☀
— MetService (@MetService) December 6, 2024
However, a blustery severe weather system moves up the country on Sunday and a burst of very heavy rain is forecast for parts of Westland.
Get more details at https://t.co/hnwmGxCYeR pic.twitter.com/vFKerUR8uG
Come Sunday, however, a number of strong wind warnings are in place as an "intense" front embedded in a northwesterly flow moved north over the South Island, MetService said.
People in affected areas are being warned to prepare by securing any items that could be picked up by strong winds. Driving could be challenging in exposed places, especially for those in high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
- Canterbury high country from 8am Sunday; severe northwest gale with damaging gusts of 150 km/h in exposed places.
- Wellington and Wairarapa south of Masterton from 5pm Sunday to 8am Monday; severe northwest gale gusting 140 km/h in exposed places.
- Marlborough Sounds, Kaikoura ranges and Kaikoura coast from 2pm Sunday to 5am Monday; severe northwest gale gusting 130km/h in exposed places.
MetService said northwest winds may approach severe gale in exposed places on Sunday in Marlborough, on the Canterbury Plains, Banks Peninsula, Otago, Southland, Stewart Island and Fiordland, with a high chance these wind watches would be upgraded to warning status.
In the North Island, Wairarapa from Masterton northwards and Hawke's Bay south of Hastings were also under a strong wind watch for Sunday.
Heavy rain warnings
The front was expected to bring heavy rain, mainly in the west of the South Island, MetService said.
The following orange heavy rain warnings were issued on Saturday morning:
- Fiordland north of George Sound from 1am to 4pm Sunday; expect 110-160mm of rain with peak rates of 20-30 mm/h expected 9am-4pm. Heaviest falls likely to affect the area north of Milford Sound.
- Westland from 6am-9pm Sunday; expect 230-280mm about the ranges and 110-160mm nearer the coast. Peak rates of 25-35mm/h expected from late morning through Sunday afternoon about the ranges in possible thunderstorms.
- Headwaters of the Canterbury lakes and rivers from 7am-9pm Sunday; expect 230-280 mm of rain about the main divide, and 80-110mm within 20km farther east. Peak rates of 25-35mm/h expected in possible thunderstorms after midday about the divide. Freezing level about 3400m.
- Headwaters of the Otago lakes and rivers from 6am-3pm Sunday; expect 120-150mm of rain about the main divide, and 80-100 mm within 20km farther east. Peak rates of 15-25mm/h in possible thunderstorms expected after 9am about the divide. Freezing level about 3300 m.
- Ranges of Tasman, west of Takaka from 2pm Sunday to 4am Monday; expect 110-150mm of rain. Peak rates of 15-25mm/h expected from Sunday evening.
- Grey and Buller Districts from 11am Sunday to 3am Monday; expect 110-160mm of rain about the ranges, and 80-100mm nearer the coast. Peak rates of 15-25mm/h in possible thunderstorms expected from mid-afternoon Sunday about the ranges.
There are also heavy rain watches in place for Sunday for the Marlborough ranges west of Havelock and the Tararua ranges.
Meanwhile, State Highway 73 linking Canterbury and the West Coast has reopened to escorted convoys, with 10 helicopters, two planes and 86 firefighters involved in work to suppress the fire that tore through grass, scrub and wilding pines near Castle Hill village.
Fire crews are expected to take a week to stamp out the fire in steep terrain, with a team of three fire investigators examining the scene to try to find the cause.
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