Fire crews were kept busy on Monday morning as strong southeasterlies swept through Nelson, with heavy rain still to come.
A heavy rain warning is now in place for parts of the Tasman District after winds toppled trees, lifted roofs and triggered multiple call-outs for emergency services.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) attended eight wind-related incidents between 8am and 11.30am as gusts moved through the region.
In Toi Toi, crews responded to several jobs, including a shed blown over and a tree falling onto a car on St Vincent St, FENZ shift supervisor Alex Norris says.
Firefighters were later called back to the suburb when another tree fell across a driveway.
In Nelson South, crews responded to a shed roof lifting and a tree falling on a building.
In Stoke, crews responded to a garden shed roof lifting, while in Richmond a tarpaulin was reported coming loose in strong gusts. In Golden Downs, a tree fell onto powerlines.
No injuries were reported in any of the incidents, Alex confirmed.
Due to fallen trees, SH63 is also closed between SH6 Kawatiri to Howard Valley Rd as of 2.20pm.
MetService meteorologist Lewis Ferris says winds at Nelson Airport reached 85kmh on Monday morning.
“It’s from quite a rare direction for Nelson, so people are likely to notice it more,” he says.
Some flights to Wellington have been cancelled and people are advised to check with the airlines for more information.
Lewis says a low-pressure system east of Auckland is driving the southeasterlies through Cook Strait and across the Richmond Ranges.
The strongest gust in the wider Nelson Tasman region reached 113kmh at Separation Point, where local geography can funnel and accelerate wind speeds.
“With the southeast wind direction it will be squeezing around the coastline, causing local acceleration. There’s also less friction over the water, so coastal wind speeds are typically higher,” Lewis says.
While the strongest winds are expected to ease by Monday evening, Lewis says unsettled conditions are set to continue through the week.
Attention is now turning to heavy rain, with MetService issuing an Orange Heavy Rain Warning for the Tasman District west of Motueka from 8pm Monday until 8pm Tuesday. Forecast totals are between 130mm and 180mm, with peak intensities of 15mm to 25mm an hour on Tuesday.
A Heavy Rain Watch is also in place for the Nelson side of the Richmond Range, where rainfall could approach warning levels.
The warning means streams and rivers may rise quickly, with surface flooding, slips and hazardous driving conditions possible.
Authorities are urging people to clear drains and gutters where possible, avoid low-lying areas, and take extra care on the roads as the weather system moves through.
