Aftermath emerges after tornado tears through National Park as extreme weather causes chaos around NZ

April 10, 2018

Residents in parts of the Otago city have woken up to snow.

It was a day of power cuts and destruction caused by wild weather ripping through the country. Here was 1 NEWS NOW's live updates as severe weather hit much of New Zealand.

4.23pm

"Significant wind gusts" on the Auckland Harbour Bridge have meant motorists will be restricted to drive at 70km/h.

Auckland Ferries have also been impacted with the Northcote Point Wharf closed currently and all services to West Harbour cancelled.

4.20pm

Taranaki Civil Defence report that eight homes have been damaged in the area, with three more severely damaged.

“There was also extensive damage to farm buildings, trees and power lines in the area,” it said in a press release.

As at 2.30pm, 4,360 properties were without power in Taranaki. It looks like many of those people will be without power overnight.

4.15pm

Metservice: Heavy snow for the Kaikoura Ranges is easing. 

Heavy rain is expected for Taranaki, Taihape, Whanganui and the Tararua Ranges, while a severe gale warning is in place for parts of the upper South Island and North Island.

4.12pm 

Sky City has revealed how the iconic Sky Tower handles lightning and other weather-related events following recent lightning strikes to the structure.

The Sky Tower has been fully equipped to withstand lightning strikes, which also boasts an advanced system to help protect the tower.

Five lightning strikes have hit the tower in the past year.


3.39pm

Metservice: SH1 to Picton, via Kaikoura, will open from 7.30am to 7.30pm daily. Inland Road Route 70, via Waiau, is also open to get to and from Kaikoura.

A snow warning has been issued for SH1 from Pine Hill to Palmerston in Otago. 

Delays are expected for SH6 from Queenstown to Cromwell (Kawarau Gorge). 

3.22pm

Rain on Desert Road is expected to turn into snow later this evening before easing to showers tomorrow morning, Metservice says. 

3.15pm 

Drivers on the Central Plateau [SH1 Desert Road, SH49, SH4, SH47, SH46], as well as on the Napier and Taupo Rd are being warned of snowfall, with motorists urged to take extra care.
 
NZTA: "There is also an official strong wind warning in place for the SH1 Desert Road. Please take extra care, especially if you are driving a high-sided vehicle, or are riding a motorcycle."

3.05pm

Snowfall warnings are in place for roads in the Central Plateau and State Highway 5 from Napier to Taupo. 

2.59pm

Sailing from Picton to Kaitaki will now be freight-only, while all other sailings have been cancelled for today. 

Tomorrow's sailings will be reviewed later this evening.  

2.37pm 

Power has been restored to National Park Village. Damaged areas remain without power.


2.22pm 

Images from the National Park in Central North Island shows the damage the wild weather has caused.

2.21pm  

Amazing footage in Auckland has shown a lightening bolt striking the Sky Tower this morning. 

With an early winter storm hitting much of the country, Auckland is bracing for its share of the deluge.

2.15pm

Bluebridge Ferry company has cancelled all sailings between Picton and Wellington for the rest of the day.

1.57pm

Make sure you keep up with the latest weather news here. 

1.45pm

Video above shows Auckland's Sky Tower being struck by lightning in the city today.

1.35pm 

There are currently seven unplanned outages on Vector’s network affecting approximately 3,300 customers throughout Auckland.

1.20pm  

Six houses have been destroyed by the tornado in National Park Village according to Fairfax media.

12.55pm

MetService have reported 247 lightning strikes in the Auckland and Northland region in the last 2 hours. 

12.45pm

NZTA road closure update: South Island. 

SH1 is closed north of Kaikoura due to the adverse weather forecast. The Mangamaunu to Clarence Road is expected to open by 1pm today.

SH6 Ross to Franz Josef road closed is closed due to a fallen tree. The next update is expected around midday.

SH67 is closed from Westport to Karamea. The strong winds caused a shed roof iron lifting near Garveys Rd.

SH6 is closed from HariHari to Ross due to strong winds. Road users are advised to delay travel time or use an alternative route.

12.30pm

Footage of lightning striking Auckland's Sky Tower this morning.

12.20pm

With an early winter storm hitting much of the country, Auckland is bracing for its share of the deluge.

Timelapse as the storm front moves over Auckland CBD bringing heavy rain.  

11.50am

A truck driver has captured the terrifying moment he drove in the path of a tornado which ripped through Taranaki this morning.

Rick Field posted the video on his Facebook page saying it was "110% the scariest thing" he'd experienced.

11.45am

The Ministy of Education that the weather around the country has has closed 10 schools and four ECE today.

The closed schools are:

  • Opunake High School - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • South Westland Area School - Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast
  • Kaponga School - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • Opunake School- Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • Pembroke School - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • St Joseph's School (Hawera) - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • St Joseph's School (Opunake) - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • Kakaramea School - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • Methven School - Canterbury and Chatham Islands
  • Springfield School - Canterbury and Chatham Islands
  • The closed ECE are:

  • Methven Pre-school Learning & Child Care Centre - Canterbury and Chatham Islands
  • Maxwell and Districts Kindergarten - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • Opunake Communities Kindergarten Incorporated - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • Te Kōhanga Reo o Te Namu - Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatu
  • 11.40am

    NZTA are warning motorists in the central and lower North Island to be prepared for heavy rain, wind and snowfall in the next 24 hours.

    It's recommended motorists check Metservice and NZTA websites and social media accounts before travelling.

    11.20am

    Image of a house destroyed in the National Park. 

    11.05am

    A trough that has produced close to 600 lightning strikes over the Taranaki region is heading to Auckland and much of the upper north, says Met Service. 

    10.55am

    Eight homes were damaged and three homes were severely damaged by tornadoes this morning in the Rahotu area, Taranaki Civil Defence has confirmed.

    10.50am

    Taranaki Civil Defence is warning that worst may be yet to come in the region, despite homes already being damaged by tornadoes. Winds are forecast to increase in severity this afternoon from 3pm until 11pm. More thunderstorms and possibly more tornadoes are likely. 

    10.40am

    Powerco reports that 12,000 properties in the Taranaki region are still without power. "The storm is forecast to be at a peak from 3pm today until early tomorrow morning so we are on high alert," Powerco spokesperson Phil Marsh said. "We already have multiple reports of poles and lines being brought down by trees. Contractors have been mobilized to isolate that damage. Our first priority is safety so we need anyone coming across damage to our network to call either the police or our emergency line 0800 272727. Downed lines must be treated as live at all times and people should keep clear of them."

    10.36am

    There are no reports of injuries from the tornado at National Park, Ruapehu DC says. Police and fire crews as well as Ruapehu civil Defence are on the scene and a welfare centre has been set up at National Park School on Carroll Street. Ruapehu DC has confirmed that one unoccupied house has been destroyed and two others have lost part of their roof.

    10.20am

    MetService have posted on Twitter warning to tie down loose objects as winds may reach up to 120kmph in Auckland, Waikato and the Coromandel later today.  

    10.10am

    Students have been evacuated at Ruapehu College as lightening has set off alarms. 

    A post made on the school Facebook page said the Year 11 outdoor tramp was be cancelled and that the fire brigade is checking everything, then students will be back in class for the day.

    9.45am

    Another tornado has hit National Park Village and Ruapehu Civil Defence and other response agencies are responding to it. 

    The power is out and there are reports of widespread damage including houses having lost roofs.

    9.40am

    Taranaki Civil Defence have posted on Twitter saying the weather is only predicted to get worse and to stay inside. 

    9.30am

    A local in Hawera recorded footage of the intense rainfall as a storm front moves across the region of Taranaki.  

    9.10am

    Multiple domestic flights out of Auckland Airport have been cancelled due to the weather.

    New Plymouth and Palmerston north are cancelled.

    Napier and Taupo flights are delayed. 

    To stay updated with the status of flights at Auckland Airport check here.  

    9.00am

    Rahotu Fire Station manager, Kent Helms confirmed that there has been 2 tornadoes that have gone through Taranaki.

    They have caused extensive damage to power networks and buildings and Mr Helms says parts of homes have blown away.

    8.40am

    Multiple flights have been cancelled at New Plymouth Airport this morning. 

    To stay updated with the status of flights at New Plymouth Airport check here

    8.30am

    PowerCo reports that about 12053 properties are currently without electricity in the Taranaki region, with many outages due to lightning strikes.

    8.25am

    Lightning strikes trampoline as intense storm front passes over Taranaki.

    Local Trish Rankin said she has never seen a storm like it. 

    Snow in Tekapo today. 

    Snow in Tekapo today.

    8.20am

    MetService have posted on Twitter that "4500 lightning strikes over Taranaki in the last hour! Phew!" 

    8.15am

    Opunake High School southwest of the coast of Taranaki is closed because of a power cut.

    A post on the school Facebook page said they had been warned that electricity will not be restored until 12pm and no buses were running. 

    8.05am  

    A parent with children at Springfield School in Canterbury has received a notification this morning to say school is shut today.

    The board of trustees along with the principal have chosen to close as more snow is expected.

    It’s the school’s first snow day of 2018.  

    7.55am

    More than 5000 home are without power across western Taranaki and were cut off from 7-ish this morning.

    More than 2000 of these are in Opunake.

    Opunake Primary School is "assessing the situation regarding weather" and says buses are not running.

    Earlier

    Parts of the South Island have woken up to an unseasonal April dumping of snow with severe gales and thunderstorms expected around much of New Zealand later today.

    Breakfast weatherman Matty McLean has the latest weather update.

    But the worst yet to come, according to MetService.

    MetService has issued a heavy snow warning over Canterbury and the Kaikoura Ranges where they can continue to expect snow above 400m and below 300m in some places today through to Wednesday. 

    1 NEWS reporter Donna-Marie Lever was in the thick of it.

    MetService say this is exceptionally early to be seeing this much snow accumulating. Snow has fallen in Tekapo and Burkes Pass.  

    MetService says the worst is yet to come and they’re urging people to prepare for travel disruption.

    Motorists travelling through inland parts of the South Island are being warned of the possible disruption to travel in affected areas. 

    SH1 through Kaikoura closed early last night as a precaution and a warnings remain for all the alpine passes.

    Strong wind warnings have been issued over Waikato, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula where winds gusting at 120kmp/h are expected for a time this evening.

    "Aucklanders see a windy Tuesday, with the worst of the wind expected after dark," MetService Meteorologist April Clark said.

    Heavy rain and possible thunderstorms are expected over parts of the upper South Island and central North Island through to early Wednesday morning.

    To keep up to date with the latest weather, click here.

    SHARE ME

    More Stories