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Widespread heavy rain, strong winds and thunderstorms have led to surface flooding, ferry cancellations and safety warnings on the final day of the long weekend.
Residents and holidaymakers in Bay of Plenty and Coromandel were urged to take shelter as severe thunderstorms headed towards the regions early on Monday afternoon.
A line of severe thunderstorms lying offshore, from Matakana Island to Kaitaki, moved south towards Mount Maunganui and the Kaimai Ranges, arriving just after midday Monday.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) advised people in line of the thunderstorms to take shelter indoors and secure any loose objects around their property.
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NEMA also urged boaties to return to land if they were on the water.
However, the severe thunderstorm warning for Western Bay of Plenty and Matamata Piako was lifted about 2pm Monday.
Bay of Plenty and the Coromandel Peninsula remains under a severe thunderstorm watch from 10am until 5pm, bringing a risk of localised downpours of 20 to 45mm/h.
Send your photos of snow or extreme weather to newstips@stuff.co.nz.
State Highway 2 Karangahake Gorge between Waihi and Paeroa was hit by surface flooding on Monday afternoon, with Waka Kotahi warning motorists to take care and expect delays.
Hawke’s Bay, the Coromandel Peninsula and Gisborne could be in for a further drenching as heavy rain watches are placed over the three regions from Monday morning through to Tuesday.
MetService warned rainfall of this intensity could bring about slips and surface flooding in low-lying areas, while driving conditions may be hazardous for motorists heading home from long weekend getaways.
King’s Birthday weekend is coming to a chilly end with temperatures failing to get above 10C for much of the country early this morning.
Aiman Amerul Muner/Stuff
A thick layering of snow fell in Lake Tekapo on Sunday afternoon as a cold front moved up the South Island.
Auckland and Wellington made it into double digits by 7am, recording 10C. In the South Island, Christchurch reached 6C by 7am, while Central Otago areas hovered between -1C and 3C.
About 3 to 4 cm of snow fell in some inland South Island locations, with a chance of more snow on Monday for parts of the south.
The wet and windy front – which began west of Taranaki just after midnight – would pass to the west of Auckland, before reaching north of Northland Monday evening.
“We’ve got a front over the North Island wrapping into a low that’s just west of Northland and moving north and east, so it’s bringing a lot of rain to the upper half of the North Island,” MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker said.
Auckland has seen showery conditions throughout Monday, which are expected to continue into Tuesday.
Strong wind watches are in place for Wellington and the Marlborough Sounds on Monday. It could reach severe gale-strength at times. A similar watch will come into place for Taranaki from 6pm Monday through to Tuesday morning.
Taupo, Tongariro National Park, Taumarunui, Waitomo, south Waikato have also been placed under a strong wind watch until 5pm Tuesday. Eastern Bay of Plenty remains under a strong wind watch until 11pm Tuesday.
Wellington region has seen rain and showery conditions throughout Monday, with Interislander Cook Strait ferries cancelling or delaying sailings in afternoon due to rough conditions in the Cook Strait.
Further south, rug up for the colder conditions, with snow falling in some areas overnight, Bakker said.
Aiman Amerul Muner/Stuff
More snow is possible on Monday as a cold front hangs around.
Snow to 600 metres was possible in southern Marlborough early monday, and snow 400 metres inland was possible in Canterbury.
Showery and cloudy conditions are expected in Christchurch throughout Monday, while Dunedin will see similar conditions.
Nelson, Buller and Westland including the Grey District are also under strong wind watches until Tuesday afternoon – with winds approaching severe gale in exposed places – particularly inland areas.
On Sunday, heavy snowfall closed Lindis Pass State Highway 8 between Omarama and Tarras.
The weather front is expected to ease off through Monday and into Tuesday as the system travelled north.
The South Island would see frosty conditions for most of the week. But for those further north, the temperatures are roughly back to average for the start of winter, MetService forecaster Gerard Bellam said.
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