Heavy rain, lightning and strong winds have whipped across many regions of the North Island this afternoon, but emergency services say the bad weather has caused few problems so far.
Photo: 123rf
In Wellington a tree fell onto Wilton Road and there was a rockfall on Evans Bay Parade.
In Auckland, heavy rain pummelled the city, but Fire and Emergency says it has caused no serious problems.
10-20mm of rain for much of the Auckland area in the last 6 hours. 23.5mm in Waiatarua, but 10.8mm at the airport. https://t.co/7k3nmdWQwx ^TA pic.twitter.com/FUuJJDG54s
— MetService (@MetService) May 3, 2020
However, in the South Island, heavy rain closed State Highway 6, east of Westport, with slips at each end of the Lower Buller Gorge.
The road was closed for several hours before reopening to a single lane.
FINAL UPDATE 3:05PM
— NZTA Canterbury/WC (@NZTACWC) May 3, 2020
The road is now OPEN to a single lane on SH6 between Inangahua and Westport. Please continue to plan your journey accordingly and drive according to changing conditions. ^APhttps://t.co/Ru8RTUyWPz
Some South Island skifields can expect their first coating of snow for the season as a cold front hits tomorrow night.
MetService meteorologist Tom Adams says heavy rain is set to pummel much of the West Coast, Wellington and Taranaki this evening, with some smaller fronts also following in behind.
Adams says heavy rain should ease tonight in Wellington and Taranaki, but thunderstorms are possible.
Tomorrow night the cold weather will arrive and, with it, snow.
"We could see some snow, to fairly low levels Monday night into Tuesday down south after that.
"When I say low levels I mean 700 to 800 metres I don't mean down to sea level, but it will be really one of the first good dumps of snow some of those hills even ski resorts get for the season."
