Strong wind warning in place for Hawke's Bay, with gusts up to 130km/h

A wind warning is in place for areas south of Hastings from 6am on Tuesday until midnight. Photo / NZME

By Gianina Schwanecke

Batten down your trampolines and abandoned houses - severe gusts of more than 130km/h are possible for parts of Hawke's Bay over the next few days.

A strong wind warning is in place from 6am on Tuesday until midnight, hitting parts of Tararua District, and areas south of Hastings, inland through to State Highway 5.

MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane

said a low was moving across the North Island, bringing strong northwesterlies.

"From the morning we see those winds starting to pick up quite a bit, especially about the coastal areas and in exposed places."

She said severe gusts of more than 130km/h could be expected, though the average wind speeds would be lower.

Drivers should watch for the usual hazards associated with wind warnings, look out for fallen branches and tie down vulnerable items, she said.

"We always hear about flying trampolines."

Strong wind gusts can damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures, she said.

Driving may also be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.

While temperatures are "not too cold yet", winds will shift from northwesterly to southeasterly closer to the weekend, bringing cooler weather.

"Probably for Hawke's Bay it's a bit on the cooler side but we are heading into the end of meteorological autumn."