Huge waves hitting New Zealand’s eastern coastline
A strong, cold southwesterly flow started affecting New Zealand's South Island on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, lowering temperatures, bringing gale-force winds, huge waves, and snow to some areas. The front is still affecting the country, moving north and bringing a blast of cold air. Met Service said the weather will ease up by Friday morning, but very large and potentially damaging seas are possible about some eastern and southern coasts, including the Wellington south coast today into Thursday. Ferry services between islands have been canceled and expected to resume on Thursday, June 15.
Local media reported parts of the country woke to frost on windscreens Tuesday morning after overnight temperatures dipped below zero. At the same time, meteorologists warned the worst was still to come. The cold snap the country experienced into Wednesday didn't match the polar blast experienced at the start of May, but snow did fall on parts of South Island.
On Wednesday, June 14, snow and ice have closed roads across the South Island and ferry services between the islands have been canceled. New Zealand Herald reported a number of main highways in Southland and Otago were closed after snow fell to low levels late Tuesday. "The bitter cold snap is bringing icy gales to many parts of New Zealand," it said.
New Zealand Met Service said big swells were set to hit the east coast and 5 m (16 feet) waves were already pounding Christchurch on Tuesday. Their models show waves higher than 7 m (23 feet) and possibly even 10 m (32.8 feet) will hit beaches over the next 24 hours.
Cook Strait combined waves peak to 7m in evening-nearly high as Kent Tce Queen Vic.Take care on coast roads, esp nr high tide at 8:45pm ^TA pic.twitter.com/c29s78t0d1
— MetService (@MetService) June 13, 2017
Big swells in east set to peak later today. Pulse of swell moving up the east coast, already 5m waves near Chch. https://t.co/Yjbq0jxdqz ^TA pic.twitter.com/GpKzcE0h7b
— MetService (@MetService) June 13, 2017
25-30cm of fresh snow in the last 24hrs at Remarkables ski field. SW flow means that most of the snow fell in the Southern Lakes. ^TA pic.twitter.com/PetEdq2VQL
— MetService (@MetService) June 13, 2017
Strong winds easing down south, but still strong about the North Island East Coast – see watch on https://t.co/bcFLKY4OUU ^TA pic.twitter.com/eXEgrwaNOg
— MetService (@MetService) June 14, 2017
Huge waves in Princess Bay, Wellington this arvo and only set to increase as the Sun sets pic.twitter.com/TO4p2yr3Vp
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) June 14, 2017
NIWA's high res model shows sea/swell (we call that sig wave in the biz) will peak btwn 7-8 m around 8 pm in Cook Strait @interislander pic.twitter.com/K6IAVnjfp6
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) June 13, 2017
At 06:15 UTC (18:15 NZST) today, Met Service said winds are easing across the South Island, but are still strong on the North Island's East Coast.
People living along the southern Wellington coastline are being warned to expect big surges across roads and possible flooding after 20:00 NZST, coinciding with high tide.
As of Wednesday afternoon (local time), Coastal Storm Warnings are in effect for Castlepoint, Conway, Portland, and Rangitata. Coastal Gale Warnings are in effect for Chalmers, Chatham Islands, Colville, Cook, Foveaux, Grey, Plenty, Puysegur, Ragland, and Stephens. High seas warnings are in effect for Forties, Pacific, Southern, and Subtropic.
Featured image: Huge waves in Princess Bay, Wellington on the afternoon of June 14, 2017 (NZST). Credit: NIWA
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