[ad_1]
David White/Stuff
Auckland Harbour Bridge was experiencing gusts of 90kmh on Wednesday night. (File photo)
Intense thunder, lightning and heavy hail have shaken Auckland in a late-night storm, while Northland is next in the firing line.
According to MetService meteorologist Kathryn Hodge a “very decent” thunderstorm was moving through Auckland just after 9pm on Wednesday.
Do you have any photos of the lightning? Email aucklandnewsroom@stuff.co.nz
“A line of thunderstorms have sparked up and are travelling across Auckland,” she said.
Hail over 1cm in diameter was reported during the storm, she said.
READ MORE:
* Motorists urged to avoid non-essential travel as wild weather causes road closures
* Weather: Winds appear to be easing, all lanes open on Auckland Harbour Bridge
* Motorcyclists and high-sided vehicles urged to avoid Auckland Harbour Bridge
“It’s quite an active situation, with another line heading across to Northland.”
Wind gusts of up to 100kph are also expected to hit the Auckland Harbour Bridge overnight.
Waka Kotahi issued an amber alert for the bridge, due to the high westerly winds, but remained on standby to issue a red alert if wind gusts hit triple figures.
The wind was expected to pick up from 6pm on Wednesday and stay strong into Thursday morning, around 7am.
Crews were in place to react to the high winds and close lanes, or the bridge, if necessary, Waka Kotahi said.
Drivers of high-sided vehicles or motorcycles were advised to avoid the bridge and instead travel along the SH16/SH18 ring route.
MetService
An active cold front brought torrential rain and severe thunderstorms to the upper North Island on Tuesday, which caused flooding in both areas.
“Under an amber alert, speeds are reduced and some lanes close on the bridge and under a red alert, all lanes on the bridge are closed.
”The safety of road users is our top priority and we won’t hesitate to reduce speeds, close lanes or close the bridge if necessary.”
Motorists going over the bridge should reduce their speeds and stay within their lane, they said.
After a few days of heavy rain, including torrential downpours on Tuesday, the wet weather in Auckland had given way on Wednesday night to colder temperatures.
Auckland temperatures were expected drop to 11C by midnight, with a low of 7C on Thursday.
[ad_2]