MetService warns of flash floods, 110km/h winds across North Island

By RNZ
Lightning strikes are lighting up the skies in many areas, with storms and a swathe of yellow and orange weather warnings and watches across much of the motu.
By 7pm, NZTA was warning of surface flooding in Wellington, with drivers asked to take care on SH1 in the suburb of Mount Cook and at the Basin Reserve.
MetService said its rain radar was pasted with storm signs, and evidence of lightning strikes was plastering the Transpower lightning strike recording data, across many parts of the lower North Island and top of the South Island.
The heaviest rain is expected in the South Island, while the thunderstorms were expected to move up the North Island during Saturday and into Sunday.
The angry weather will sweep up much of the North Island overnight from midnight Saturday through to 7am Sunday, MetService forecasters say. It could become severe or bring heavy downpours, flash floods and dangerous driving conditions, with wind gusts of up to 110km/h or stronger.
“Some of these thunderstorms may generate localised downpours of 25 to 40 mm an hour, especially from Waitomo southwards,” a MetService spokesperson said.
“Wind gusts of this strength can cause some structural damage, including trees and power lines.”
The west of the South Island is expected to cop the heaviest dumpings of rain for the country this weekend, along with the headwaters of the lakes and rivers of Otago and Canterbury, MetService forecasters said.
Meanwhile, strong winds will buffet many parts of the mainland.
The Transport Agency said it plans to close part of State Highway 94 road from Te Anau to Milford Sound from 10am Sunday, ue to the forecast, with the weather elevating the risk of avalanches.
And forecasters say that while Otago, parts of Southland and Fiordland have been weathering strong winds on Saturday which had eased for the day by early afternoon on Saturday – northwesterly severe gales are expected to be back from Sunday afternoon.
– RNZ