A rapidly deepening low is earning the name weather bomb as it’ s expected to head across the water just south of the South Island later tonight.

Emergency Management Southland has urged people in all coastal areas of Southland, including Invercargill, to check their property today in preparation for the coming storm, and be ready for power cuts overnight.

Winds are expected to picking up tonight and Stewart island appears to be in the firing line with storm force damaging winds possible however Southland and Fiordland could also see very high winds with severe gales expected.

WeatherWatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan believes the low rapidly deepening and nearing the South Island is a weather bomb.
Speaking with Jamie MacKay on Radio Sport’s Farming Show earlier this afternoon he said the low that will be lying near Southland and a big blow is looking likely.
“This is looking like a weather bomb, meaning it will drop over 24hPa in 24 hours. It will have hurricane force winds circling around it and the only good thing is that the centre of the storm itself looks unlike to directly hit New Zealand but it will brush the South Island”.

Foveaux Strait is expected to see significant swells with the arrival of the winds and Bluff could also see waters cut up very rough near the town.

WeatherWatch.co.nz is closely monitoring the situation.