Flights cancelled as severe gales hit parts of the country

Severe gales have caused Air New Zealand to cancel numerous flights across southern and central regions of New Zealand. Wellington Airport alone experienced two flights being cancelled and two more diverted early Sunday morning. MetService meteorologist Gerard Bellham reported that central parts of the country were enduring the brunt of strong, blustery winds.

These winds reached a staggering 168 km/h at Wellington's Mt Kaukau. The orange strong wind warning is set to remain in effect until at least 8pm Sunday for the Tararua district. Severe gales, gusting up to 120 km/h, could potentially cause damage to trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures. High-sided vehicles and motorbikes could also face difficulty on the roads.

A strong wind watch is currently in place until at least 9pm for inland Hawke's Bay, encompassing areas around and south of State Highway five. The winds could attain severe gale force in exposed locations, according to MetService. The wind has also triggered widespread power outages across the motu on Sunday, affecting over 650 customers in the Wellington region.

Nearly 400 homes in the Wairarapa and another 200 in Manawatū were left without power earlier in the day. Down south, over 700 homes in the Marlborough area and more than 300 homes in Tasman experienced unplanned outages, with about 20 homes in Christchurch also impacted. Bellham indicated that the weather would improve, with spring-like conditions expected in the coming days.

The North Island is forecast to be largely fine this week, although western parts may encounter isolated showers later on in the week. Unfortunately, the South Island is not as fortunate, as heavy rain could be possible in western and southern areas from Tuesday. Canterbury and Otago might even witness snow on the hills from Thursday.