The roof of this home in Fache St was blown off this morning. Photo / Yvonne O'Hara
The roof of this home in Fache St was blown off this morning. Photo / Yvonne O'Hara
Severe weather is hitting parts of the South Island, with properties damaged in Clyde, and drivers urged to take care as strong winds buffet Central Otago and Canterbury.
Extremely high winds were battering the Clyde area on Friday, with multiple reports of property damage, including a garage being blown off its foundations. A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokesman said most of the damage was centred around the Central Otago township, with multiple callouts for roofs being lifting off buildings and windows being blown in.
Fairfax reported that a small tornado ripped through a backyard in Clyde, with resident Colleen Kitto saying it felt like her house was being hit by an earthquake as the twister hit.
MetService forecaster Cameron Coutts said gusts of just over 100km/h started in Alexandra just after 3am on Friday, with the strongest reaching 115km/h. The winds would begin dying down steadily from 1pm and the worst of it would be over by 3pm.
Arcing power lines caused a fire and knocked power out in Clyde on Friday morning. Clyde School was put in lockdown due to the weather.
An emergency services controller advised staff to keep people inside and not to clean up.
Resident Sue Laing said the roof of her father's home in Newcastle St had blown off. That street and Dunstan St were closed due to the risk of trees falling.
Part of Sunderland St in Clyde (around the motel) was closed due to a risk of tree fall. Central Otago District Council contractor Fulton Hogan advised people to avoid the area. A spokeswoman reported there were still strong winds around and reports of debris blowing about.
Fire crews were also sent to callouts in Alexandra and a rolled vehicle near Cromwell. Winds reaching almost 100km/h had also lead to the closure of Treble Cone and Cardrona ski fields on Friday.
Motorists warned to take care
Police urged motorists in Central Otago and Canterbury to take care in the windy conditions.
A downed tree was blocking the westbound lane at the intersection of State Highway 8 and Airport Rd near Alexandra.
There were strong wind warnings for SH8 (Cromwell to Alexandra) and in the Tekapo-Twizel area on Friday.
Highways affected are: SH73 Springfield to Arthurs Pass and the Lewis Pass (SH7 Hanmer Springs turnoff to Springs Junction) Drivers with high-sided and light vehicles were to take extra care or delay travel if possible.
Two rural firefighters secure a wooden fence on Fache St. Photo / Yvonne O'Hara
Camper vans were being advised to stop at Champagne Gully until the wind stops. Check highway conditions here
The Crown Range Road was closed on Friday morning due to a significant slip at Chain Bay 5, the Queenstown Lakes District Council advised.
The road was closed at the state highway turnoff on the Queenstown side and Cardrona on the Wanaka side. Motorists should go via State Highway 6 if they needed to get between Queenstown and Wanaka.
Snow was forecast to fall to 800 metres in eastern Otago, but this was not expected to cause problems in the region's towns or roads at this stage.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council advised snow was expected to fall in the area over the weekend to as low as 500 metres.
It was expected to fall at skifields after lunch on Friday and a signficant dump was expected over the weekend.
Motorists were urged to keep snow chains in their vehicles, check the forecast and assess road conditions before they set off.
MetService said rain was expected over northern and western regions on Friday and Sunday, although the northwesterly winds would bring drier, warm conditions to eastern regions.
Fiordland, the Westland Ranges and the headwaters of the Canterbury and Otago lakes and rivers south of Arthur's Pass could expect up to 220mm of rain on Friday.
The drenching could lead to flash flooding, slips and make driving hazardous. The chilly weather was expected to last until Tuesday.
Strong winds in North Island
Wellington was under a strong wind warning on Friday, as another bout of bad weather hits.
Powerful northerly gales ramping up to 120km/h were expected to buffet central New Zealand from late on Friday morning and blast the region for up to 12 hours.
The gales were likely to topple trees and powerlines and damage buildings. Motorists were warned that driving could be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
In Wellington, harbour ferry sailings have been suspended as conditions deteriorated. Civil Defence warned residents in the capital to secure anything likely to blow away. Meanwhile, Gisborne and Hawke's Bay would continue to enjoy summer-like temperatures with the mercury expected to rise into the mid-20s.
However, the temperature was expected to drop on Sunday when a strong cold front sweeps across central and northern New Zealand, bringing yet more rain.
A reprieve between fronts should mean Saturday's rugby test between the All Blacks and South Africa in Auckland would be played in fine conditions.
