'That's ridiculous': Huge 196km/h gust on edge of Hawke's Bay stuns meteorologist

A windy landmark at the southernmost point of Hawke's Bay is already a challenger for strongest gust of the year after a blow of 196km/h on Sunday.

The blast was recorded late in the afternoon at Cape Turnagain, 33km south of Porangahau, and was reported with some incredulity on Monday by a MetService duty meteorologist, saying, before converting the reading from 106 knots to kilometres-per-hour and confirming the accuracy:

"That's ridiculous ... I'll check that one."

Cape Turnagain, where a wind gust on Sunday hit close to 200km/h.

But such winds are not unusual for Cape Turnagain, so-named by Captain James Cook who as he voyaged down the coast from the newly-named Hawke Bay on October 17, 1769, decided, partly because of atrocious conditions, that there was no point in continuing south and turned around.

Sunday's gust was, however, more than twice those being recorded in all other coast areas of Hawke's Bay, with a peak of 87km/h at Cape Kidnappers, and peaks of about 85km/h at Hawke's Bay Airport and Mahia.

Gusts of up to 85km/h had also been recorded on Monday on the Takapau Plains, between Waipukurau and Norsewood, while also in Central Hawke's Bay, a section of Tikokino Rd, between Waipawa and Tikokino, was closed for some time this morning after a falling tree brought-down power lines in the area.

A tree was also reported down on Te Mata Peak on Monday morning, partially blocking the road to the top.

An IRB struggling through riled seas near Perfume Point in Napier on Monday. Photo / Warren Buckland

MetService's strong wind warnings remained in place with westerly gales gusting 120 km/h in exposed places, but a forecaster said the peaks would be in exposed places.