Taken on Princes Wharf Auckland during the storm of 26 July 2008 when winds were gusting to 135 km/h. Photo (c) Jachin Mandeno.

It’s been a windy Saturday and Sunday right across New Zealand with winds at, or near, gale force for a time in a number of our main centres in the past 24 hours – but for those who don’t like the wind there’s good news – they should ease this evening.

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the strong winds will ease back tonight so Monday should be relatively settled. “The two weather features this weekend – the low in the north and the cold snap in the south – are now moving away from New Zealand allowing more settled conditions to move in from the Tasman Sea”.

The strong winds have also been cold thanks to a southerly change creating ‘feels like’ temperatures well in to the low single digits.

Auckland and Wellington are the two windiest centres in the country this afternoon with winds near gale force in the capital and both cities getting gusts over 70km/h.

In the Far North gales are gusting to 100km/h.

Mr Duncan says the wind won’t completely die out tomorrow but they’ll be  considerably lighter than today.  “Some coastal areas and southern parts of both islands may still feel a few gusts but the high moving in should push the worst of the winds out into the Pacific Ocean”.

Labour Day is set to be mainly dry across New Zealand tomorrow with a weak front moving up the west coast of the country during the day.  “Some patchy light rain or drizzle will move into Southland and up the western coastline and may reach Taranaki by late afternoon or evening, elsewhere it should be dry with warmer weather returning to the South Island’s east with the nor’wester coming back”.

The Weather Watch Centre’s exclusive Travel Forecast has rated tommorrow afternoon’s driving, flying and ferry conditions all as “Good” for much of the country.

FROST ALERT:

With winds easing tonight and the colder air up the country Mr Duncan says there is the chance of a frost tonight.  “Light frosts, mostly ground frosts, may affect some sheltered inland parts of both islands tonight.  Fruit growers should be on high alert in case they need to do frost protection in the early hours of Monday”.