Australian bushfire smoke expected to drift towards the North Island again

The scene at Makorori Beach near Gisborne on Thursday as a smoke haze from the Australian bushfires cloaked parts of the east coast of the North Island. Photo / Supplied, Gray Clapham

Parts of the North Island may be hazy today, as a strong northwest wind brings smoke from Australia.

Smoke from the fires currently raging in several states of Australia covered parts of the South Island on New Year's Day, including Fox Glacier which received a dusting of ash, reports RNZ.

Some residents described a smell like "extinguished campfires".

The following day the smoke also affected skies in the North Island.

A MetService forecaster, Sonja Farmer, said today's smoke won't be as thick as previous plumes.

"This time it's fairly fast-moving in comparison and it's followed by southwesterlies coming in behind as the front goes through, so there will be some smoke around but it may not be around for too long because the other wind is coming behind.

"The other south-west flow will start diverting it back into the Tasman."

MetService is expecting west to southwest gales gusting to 120km/h to buffet Southland, Clutha and Stewart Island today.

West to southwest gales gusting to 120 km/hr are forecast for coastal Southland and Clutha, and for Stewart Island. Gale or severe gale northwest winds gusting to 120km/hr are expected ahead of a front moving up the country today. https://t.co/Sd5C6lrsSL ^Tahlia pic.twitter.com/Mz5NHhv0DR

— MetService (@MetService) January 4, 2020

The winds are already being felt in parts of the South Island, it says, and will affect inland parts of Canterbury and exposed parts of the North island's east coast south of Hastings later today.

💨 starting to pick up across the South Island as a front approaches. Warnings and watches for strong winds are in place, to see if you're affected head to https://t.co/qHyE5zySvx^Tahlia pic.twitter.com/JWS7XkaNFp

— MetService (@MetService) January 4, 2020

Temperatures are expected to be much cooler than usual for this time of year today, with Dunedin, Queenstown and Timaru reaching just 11C.