Hawke's Bay summer? First day of summer delivers heavy rain and winds

Heavy rain and high winds expected across the region. Photo / Warren Buckland

The first day of summer delivered heavy rain and high winds across the region – with a heavy rain warning in place for parts of northern Hawke's Bay.

MetService Meteorologist Lewis Ferris said winds have reached 100km/hr at Cape Kidnappers on Tuesday.

"Cape Kidnappers saw gusts of up to 100km/hr between 9am and 10am on Tuesday. While in Napier, these winds drop a little to 68km/hr," he said.

"It is going to feel pretty miserable out there for the people out and about in Hawke's Bay."

Ferris said the high winds, caused by a low pressure centre situated out to east of Hawke's Bay, are due to weaken by Wednesday.

A heavy rain warning was in place for Wairoa, with 70mm to 90mm of rain expected to accumulate.

The warning began at 8am on Tuesday and was in place until 8pm.

High winds have begun in Hawke's Bay, with Cape Kidnappers having already reached 100km/hr on Tuesday morning. Photo / Warren Buckland

Ferris said Wairoa is where the heaviest rain is expected to fall throughout Tuesday in Hawke's Bay.

"In the 12 hours from 11pm on Monday, there have been a few stations across Hawke's Bay that has seen around 20mm of rain – Wairoa being one of them," he said.

MetService warned that the heavy rain in the Wairoa area may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly.

A Wairoa District Council spokeswoman said the severe weather may cause hazardous driving conditions, surface flood and possible slips in the district.

According to WeatherWatch, the gale force winds which blasted the Cook Strait on Tuesday morning were due to shift over to the eastern side of the North Island on Tuesday night.

"Gusts will be between 80 and 120km/h in the windiest areas on land and may go even higher in Cook Strait for a time," a WeatherWatch spokeswoman said.

"Winds will ease overnight and into Wednesday morning for the North Island with a much calmer Wednesday coming for many."

A Napier Port spokeswoman said there were no disruptions at any of the ports depots on Tuesday as a result of the weather.

According to Ferris, Napier and Hastings are due to see highs of 18 degrees Celsius on Wednesday, with lows of 13C and 11C respectively.

Wairoa and Waipukurau will be warmer, with expected highs of 20C.