Auckland to New Plymouth brace for morning thunderstorms and hail, more cold temperatures for the weekend
Aucklanders are in for a rude awakening with fierce thunderstorms, heavy rain and hail expected before Kiwis head into yet another chilly weekend.
MetService says the thunderstorms may act as an alarm clock for people from Auckland down the coast to New Plymouth in the morning, but the risk
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NZ Herald
3 days ago
- NZ Herald
Matariki: Police urge caution on roads this holiday weekend, thunderstorms to rattle Auckland north
Police are promising to crack down on dangerous drivers as holidaymakers hit the roads to enjoy the long weekend amid thunderstorms, hail, and expected traffic choke points. Pre-dawn electrical storms and hail are expected to act as an alarm clock for some Kiwis in the North Island who are
1News
3 days ago
- 1News
How to look after your car on these chilly mornings
Kiwi drivers are being asked to make sure their cars are winter-ready as temperatures drop across the country. Frozen windscreens, dead batteries and broken lights are all everyday experiences on frosty mornings and can lead to delayed commutes. 1News spoke with Automobile Association (AA) technical support lead Allister Wade, who offered some tips on how to make winter car care easy. He said winter was a great time to get your car serviced if it hadn't been recently. 'They'll look at things like your coolant and engine oil. All these things are going to be working a lot harder in these colder months. You want to make sure that they are all on top of their game.' ADVERTISEMENT Wade said keeping across the weather forecast was also important, as it meant you could plan for any curveballs the elements may throw. 'If you know it's going to be a frosty, cold morning, you can allow for more time to defrost your windscreen so you're not rushing out there in a vehicle that's not actually safe and ready to go on the road.' Keeping on top of ice (Source: One of the most common winter-related car issues Kiwis faced was a frozen windscreen. It's illegal to drive with an obscured windscreen in New Zealand. Last year, a Christchurch woman copped a $150 fine for driving with an ice-covered windscreen. Thawing out the windscreen can be a frustrating inconvenience, delaying your morning commute, but there are ways to get it done fast. ADVERTISEMENT Wade recommended parking your car closer to your house or the garage - if you have one. This stops the ice from actually forming. The morning's headlines in 90 seconds including what will happen to food after supermarket blaze, Trump's dithering over the Middle East, and winter car care tips. (Source: 1News) For those who can't, he recommended allowing extra time to go outside and defrost the windscreen. This can be done by pouring cold water on the windscreen, or allowing the engine to warm the vehicle up and blasting the heater inside. You can also use a plastic scraper or debit card to scrape off the ice once it loosens. You should never use hot or boiling water, as the temperature difference could crack the windscreen. You can find a guide on how to de-ice your windscreen here. Wade said visibility was one of the most important things to be aware of in winter. 'I've seen so many people when I walk to the bus station, crouching down, looking through that little part of the front of the windscreen. They're not going to be aware of pedestrians, cyclists, or motorcyclists.' ADVERTISEMENT This also extended to how visible you are to other drivers. Wade said winter was 'always a good time' to check that your lights worked. 'So even when the vehicles are defrosting, you can get one of the family members, if you've got the young kids or something around, to check all the lights. Make sure your headlights, your brake lights and your indicators are working.' Check on your battery A car battery with jump-leads attached. (Source: Car batteries don't last forever, and in the winter they're likely to be working hard to make sure all your vehicle's electronics are fully functional. To ensure your car starts every morning, Wade recommended getting your vehicle serviced so you're not using a battery that's about to die. 'They're going to be able to give you an idea of when it's getting there.' ADVERTISEMENT If your battery is nearing the end of its life and the car is becoming harder to start, Wade said you should turn all electronics (lights, heater, and radio) off when starting the engine, adding them on one by one. 'Almost like in a house. You don't have all the heaters on at once. It puts too much pressure on systems, and that's when the battery will get overloaded and go, you know, I'm not going to actually start today.' If you haven't driven your car for a while, Wade said you should take it for a drive the night before to make sure everything is working. Another thing to regularly check is your tyres. Wade said you should make sure all four tyres have equal pressure and treads in good condition. These chores could be done at home, petrol stations or local tyre shops. Drive to the conditions A car drives in a storm, Golden bay. (Source: When on the roads, it's important to be safe and drive according to the conditions. ADVERTISEMENT 'Like in the fog, just increase your distance between vehicles,' Wade said. 'Allow that little bit of extra time for people to have those delayed reactions. 'Treat everyone with respect. We're all in the same position. We all want to get to work and home.' He said alternatives, like public transport, could also be easier.
Scoop
4 days ago
- Scoop
Rain Or Shine, Matariki Brings Us Together
Covering period of Wednesday 18th - Monday 23rd June After a week of crisp, cold days, MetService is forecasting a shift in the weather as rain moves over the country on Thursday, and showers lingering into Friday morning. While some spots start the day under cloud with a few showers about, the eastern South Island is shaping up as the best spot for viewing Matariki or Puanga— and others may get lucky with clearer skies too. Rain moves onto the western South Island late Wednesday continuing into Thursday with some places possibly seeing heavier rain and even thunderstorms. Meanwhile, eastern areas will notice increasing cloud, with patchy rain expected for Southland, inland Otago, and inland Canterbury. On Thursday, rain and wind spread across the North Island, with wetter weather expected out west. Eastern areas like Wairarapa, Tairāwhiti Gisborne, and Hawke's Bay will also see some rain, though it should be brief as the weather system moves through. So, what does this mean for Friday morning's Matariki and Puanga viewing? MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane says, 'Showers will still be hanging around, especially in western parts of both islands and the upper North Island, and with showers comes cloud. But there may be gaps – and some spots might be lucky enough to catch a glimpse. Check out MetService's Cloud Forecast for the outlook for your spot.' 'Eastern parts of the South Island look most promising – Canterbury near the coast, Marlborough, and maybe even Nelson,' Makgabutlane says. The rest of Friday will bring a similar mix of passing showers and dry spells. 'But rain or shine, this year's theme Matariki mā Puanga – Celebrating Together will still ring true, giving us a chance to gather indoors or out,' Makgabutlane says. The weekend looks to bring a classic Kiwi winter pattern: a few showers here and there, but also plenty of fine breaks. 'The rain radar will be your friend this long weekend! There will be chances to enjoy some time outdoors,' Makgabutlane adds. Inland Otago and the Mackenzie Basin have been sitting under low cloud and cold conditions. While Saturday might bring a brief improvement, the cloud could return before the weekend's out. Overnight temperatures will reflect that too – after a short-lived increase, Sunday morning looks to dip below zero again.
