A small but potent low pressure system is brushing past Southland and Otago today, bringing severe gales as far north as central New Zealand.

While windy nor’westers gusting up to 120km/h may affect the northern Southern Alps and ranges of the lower North Island it’s the main belt of severe gales around the centre of the low further south that could be more damaging.

The very worst of the winds will be just offshore to the south east of Dunedin, but the belt of gales brushes over Southland and Otago with gusts over 130km/h possible in more exposed areas/usual wind tunnels.

This wind covers a fairly narrow area but brushes over Southland and Otago (especially coastal areas and the ranges closest to the coastlines).

Not all parts of the South Island will be windy today.

WeatherWatch.co.nz is in agreement with all MetService warnings and watches issued at the moment – which you can find here: www.weatherwatch.co.nz/maps-radars/warnings/metservice

We advise you keep up to date with their warnings, plus the latest Hourly local forecasts here at WeatherWatch.co.nz, our free WeatherWatchNZ App or at www.RuralWeather.co.nz.

A low will bring a burst of gales to the South Island today.

Refer to your Hourly forecasts at WeatherWatch & https://t.co/eveWdQiaoB.

More maps and news plus latest #MetService warnings can now all be found at https://t.co/gb7E1qcpZ3

Current location of low: pic.twitter.com/6Wk62n7sAX

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) November 20, 2020

Placement of the low early this evening. Worst winds are in the north west quadrant.

For full details check out the *Hourly* forecasts at WeatherWatch and https://t.co/eveWdQiaoB

For full news, maps and the latest #MetService warnings, please visit https://t.co/Pm2OWgtJRf pic.twitter.com/iuHfwp4nns

— WeatherWatch.co.nz (@WeatherWatchNZ) November 20, 2020

WeatherWatch.co.nz – New Zealand’s Weather News Authority

RuralWeather.co.nz – Backing Farmers & Growers who feed New Zealanders