Windy start to summer

Mon, 29 Nov 2004

Issued at 12:00pm 29-Nov-2004

Windy start to summer

After a burst of cold southerly winds late last week, this week will bring us windy westerlies to mark the start to summer. MetService meteorologists are continuing with severe weather warnings for wind gusts of 130 km/hr between Havelock North and Eketahuna, with a peak in these winds forecast during Monday afternoon and evening.

"Westerly gusts have already been measured this morning touching 120 km/hr at Porongahau and 140 km/hr at Castlepoint in Hawke's Bay," commented MetService Weather Ambassador, Bob McDavitt. "These gusty westerlies produce hazardous driving conditions especially for motorcycles and trucks or caravans with a high profile. At 130km/hr, they are strong enough to cause damage to trees and powerlines."

"Our storm team has also picked the possibility of thunderstorms about the Canterbury coast on Monday afternoon and evening with hail up to 10 to 20 mm in diameter."

McDavitt went on to say that another burst of wind is possible later this week. "A front is forecast to cross the country during Wednesday and Thursday, bringing wet weather to western areas as far north as Taranaki and increasing the westerly winds again over Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa. The latest details about this are available on the warnings page of our www. metservice.com website."

ENDS

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