Severe gales with gusts of up to 140km/h in exposed places are due to batter parts of the South Island later today.
MetService has warned the strong northwest winds could damage trees, powerlines and unsecured structures, including high-sided vehicles and motorcycles for 12 hours from 4pm.
Southland, Stewart Island, Clutha and Fiordland south of Doubtful Sound will be the first areas to feel the force of the winds, followed by the Canterbury High Country from 7pm until tomorrow morning.
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A strong wind watch is also in place for Dunedin, Central and North Otago and the Southern Lakes with severe gales in exposed places later today.
From 9pm tonight, the strong winds will move north to Christchurch and the Canterbury Plains and may approach gale force in exposed places.
The top of the South Island will escape the gale force winds with mostly light winds and sea breezes during the day. Blenheim and Nelson will be a balmy 27C and 25C respectively. Nelson could see some gales in exposed places from the evening.
In the North Island there will be morning cloud then mainly fine weather in Northland, Auckland, Waikato and the Coromandel Peninsula. Patchy light rain will develop south of Northland from the evening. Temperatures will be in the high 20s and due to reach 30C in Tauranga.
Isolated afternoon showers are forecast for the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay and morning showers and patchy light rain is forecast from Waitomo and Taranaki south with clearing and fine weather in the afternoon.
Strong northerly winds are forecast for Manawatū, Wellington and the Wairarapa later in the day.
The main centres
Auckland: Morning cloud, then mainly fine. Patchy light rain towards evening. Westerly breezes. 27C
Hamilton: Morning cloud then fine spells. A shower or two likely in the afternoon. Westerly breezes. 28C
Tauranga: Fine, apart from some morning cloud. Westerlies.30C
Wellington: Early cloud and chance showers with a southerly, clearing late morning with northerlies. Strong or gale northerlies in exposed places late evening. 23C
Christchurch: Morning cloud and chance shower, then fine. Northeasterly developing morning, turning gusty northwest evening, gale in exposed places. 27C
Dunedin: Fine. Northeasterly developing late morning, then turning strong, gusty northwest from late afternoon. 25C
