Storms ease, gales in Wairarapa

A warning of gales up to 120km/h remains in place for the Wairarapa region overnight, but heavy rain and severe gales which hit several regions today have eased, the MetService says.

Gale-force winds in Wellington today damaged the church steeple of the Church of Christ of Latter Day Saints in the suburb of Hataitai.

Strong winds are still expected over north Canterbury and possibly heavy rain in the Bay of Plenty later tonight, forecaster Gerard Barrow said.

Heavy snow is also expected in southern Otago and progressively chilly temperatures over the lower South Island tonight.

Snow may also fall to 300 to 400 metres in Fiordland and parts of Southland overnight and early Monday, with higher roads in the South Island also affected, he said.

But good weather lies ahead for the upcoming holiday Labour Weekend, with a large high moving in and across upper New Zealand, bringing dry, fine weather to most places, after an unsettled week, online forecasting service Weatherwatch forecasts.


- NZPA