We have been advised by InterIslander that they will not be carrying livestock from 0600 Tuesday through to 0600 Thursday. Any existing Equestrian booking will be contacted and advised about this.

If you were considering travelling the Cook Strait with your equine this week you will need to change your plans. Below is the forecast for this week:

 

0930 MONDAY

Latest Forecasts

Issued: 3:07pm Sunday 8 Apr 2018
Valid from Tuesday 10 April 2018 to Friday 13 April 2018

*Note:* To preserve clarity on an already complicated chart, some elements described below for Friday have not been drawn on the chart.

During Tuesday, a deep low is expected to move east across the North Island while a cold front moves up the South Island.  By early Wednesday, strong cold southerlies should cover the entire country.

The combination of these features is expected to bring strong to gale force winds, heavy rain and thunderstorms to many places over first half of next week.

Significant snowfalls are likely about the higher ground of both Islands, with lesser amounts down to around 300 metres in the South Island and 600 metres about the southern and central North Island.

 

A Severe Weather Warning and Watch, and Road Snow Warnings are already in place for this event and it is likely more areas will be added.

The snow warning and watch for South Island areas extends into Tuesday and there is moderate confidence that a warning will be needed on Wednesday for much of the South Island above 400 metres.

There is also moderate confidence that a snow warning will be required for the central North Island above 800 metres on Wednesday.

There is a rain watch in place for Canterbury and the Kaikoura Coast and there is moderate confidence that a warning for rain will be needed in these places on Tuesday and Wednesday.

There is also moderate confidence that heavy rain about the Marlborough Sounds and the North Island from central Waikato to Kapiti, including the Bay of Plenty ranges, Taupo and Taihape on Tuesday will be enough for a warning.

 

During Tuesday and Wednesday, severe southwest to southeast gales could affect most of the North Island and northern areas of the South Island.

Currently there is moderate confidence that a warning will be required for Buller, Nelson, Canterbury, Marlborough and all North Island areas except Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and the Tararua District during Tuesday and Wednesday.

There is low confidence that a wind warning will be needed for Gisborne, Hawkes Bay and Tararua District on Wednesday and Thursday.

 

Also, large southerly waves are forecast to affect southern and eastern coasts of both Islands on Tuesday and Wednesday, while large southwesterly waves may affect the west coast of the North Island from Taranaki northwards on Wednesday.

During Wednesday a narrow ridge should move onto the South Island, easing weather conditions there.

The ridge moves towards the North Island on Thursday while another low approaches the South Island bringing rain to the west of the Island.

There is low confidence that warning amounts of rain will fall in Fiordland, southern Westland and southern Southland on Thursday and Friday.

On Friday there is low confidence that a rainfall warning will be needed for the rest of Westland, Buller and western areas of the North Island (not shown on chart).

There is also low confidence that southwesterly winds about Southland and Fiordland during Thursday and Friday will require a warning.