3 May 2024

Heavy swell warning for Wellington, Wairarapa

3:01 pm on 3 May 2024
Sea swells Wellington's south coast.

Sea swells along the Wellington coast. File pic Photo: RNZ / Caitlin Cherry

MetService has issued a heavy swell warning for Wellington and Wairarapa.

Rain is expected to become heavy between Cape Terawhiti and Mataikona on Friday afternoon, with a possibility of thunderstorms, and rain of 25 millimetres per hour, or more.

Heavy swells are expected to be between 4 and 4.5 metres.

The Wellington Region Emergency Management Office said it could bring debris and surface flooding to roads, especially at high tide between 12am and 2am tomorrow morning.

It said Wairarapa residents should be particularly careful when driving around coastal roads that have been impacted by swells in the past, such as low lying areas of Cape Palliser Road, including Pautangirua Pinnacles, Ngawi - Mangatoetoe and the Tora Farm Settlement Road.

The swells are expected to ease by 11am on Saturday.