'Flow-on disruptions': Weather warnings lifted but roads still impacted, flights backlogged

Wellington Airport is running as normal today, but “some flow-on disruptions” may remain as airlines work to clear the backlog of travellers disrupted by yesterday’s wild weather.

Heavy rain and high winds left a trail of damage and destruction in the lower North Island yesterday, damaging properties, cancelling hundreds of flights, cutting power and bringing down trees, with New Plymouth business owner John Connell narrowly escaping serious injury after a tree landed on his light truck in rural Taranaki.

MetService said all weather warnings and watches were lifted this morning.

Travellers left stranded by yesterday’s cancellations should check directly with their airlines for information on their flight, a Wellington Airport spokesperson said today.

Meanwhile motorists have been warned some highways at the bottom of the North Island remain affected by yesterday’s winter walloping, with State Highway 53 closed at Waihenga Bridge near Martinborough due to the Ruamahanga River running high, NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) said this morning.

The road will remain closed until flood waters recede and the bridge is safe to reopen.

“There is no estimated time for when this may happen.”

New Plymouth business owner John Connell cheated death after a tree came down on his light truck as he drove on Carrington Rd in Hurworth, south of New Plymouth, during strong winds early yesterday morning. Photo / Tony Etheridge

The northbound closure on SH2 at Waingawa between Wiltons and Norfolk roads has been lifted, with the highway open in both directions, but a 50 km/h temporary speed limit remains where some floodwater remained near the road, NZTA said.

All state highways were open in Wellington, the Hutt Valley, Porirua and the Kāpiti Coast, but surface flooding and a blocked drain was affecting southbound traffic on SH2 between Ngauranga and Petone.

“Wellington Water will be on site today to carry out inspections and drainage repairs ... drivers can expect delays on the route while this work is underway.”

There are no remaining weather warnings or watches in place this morning, MetService said.

“Whilst winds are strong and showers continue, heavy rain and severe gales are no longer expected.”

Auckland could experience some wind and showers early, with more settled weather throughout the day. Photo / Alyse Wright

Winds were predicted to reach up to 95km/h in Auckland yesterday and threatened to close the harbour bridge, but MetService meteorologist Braydon White said the weather in the region is likely to become much calmer.

“Things will be on an improving trend,” White said.

“It’ll still be a little bit windy, but not anything like what it’s been like, even for Auckland.

“There could be the odd shower or two before dawn, but, with the move to south-easterly, Auckland becomes pretty sheltered, and so it’ll actually end up being a relatively nice day.”

Auckland is predicted to have a high of 17C, but overnight lows of single digits will leave things feeling chilly.

In Wellington, where gales caused power cuts and uprooted trees yesterday, the winds would persist a while longer.

“Even though the southerlies will have eased back, they’ll still be a bit noticeably windy, and it’s still going to bring some showers with it in that southeasterly flow,” White said.

“It won’t be as wet as it’s been today, but there’ll still be some rain around, unfortunately.”

The more extreme weather much of the North Island had been facing will start to roll back, White said.

“In some places like Wellington, it’s a very gradual easing, so it could still feel quite windy and blustery before dawn,” he said.

“But in general, the risk of severe weather drops quite a bit.”

Waves driven by gale-force southerly winds crashing over the road next to Wellington Harbour at Lowry Bay in Lower Hutt yesterday. Photo / Mark Mitchell

White was confident much of the North Island would start to see more settled weather by tomorrow.

“Certainly, the worst of the weather will be completely gone by Sunday. Since we’re in this southeasterly regime, eastern areas along the likes of Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay, Whitehead Upper, we’ll still see some showers, maybe some areas of rain.

“But those in northern and western areas will start to clear out quite nicely and be relatively pleasant.”