A Kapiti Coast teacher says he experienced the strongest winds of his life after capturing a "mini tornado" that he said caused damage to vehicles.
New Zealand
Sun, Sep 27
NZTA said caution was advised for those travelling throughout the central South Island today as heavy snow blanketed highways and caused disruptions.
The lower North Island and Canterbury region are set for wild weather after meteorologists warned this weekend was forecast to be "interesting".
Sat, Sep 26
MetService said wintry conditions will be brief but intense, with the worst weather expected to hit on Sunday.
Fri, Sep 25
MetService said a series of fronts was expected to bring unsettled weather over the coming days, before a stronger system arrived on Sunday.
Thu, Sep 24
As many as 451,000 more heat-related deaths between June and the end of February could be attributed to the naturally occurring climate pattern.
World
Wed, Sep 23
MetService says tonight's temperatures as "quite cold for this time of year" as southern air sweeps the country just hours after the spring equinox.
The southwesterly flow has also brought unsettled skies further north, with a funnel cloud seen by residents in southern Taranaki.
El Niño is already fuelling wildfires across farmland, depleting water supplies for major cities and hurting fish catches in the region.
Tue, Sep 22
Road snowfall warnings are in place across multiple alpine routes, with MetService also forecasting a widespread frost later in the week.
El Niño conditions strengthened considerably during August and have shown the strongest warming trend on record, with impacts on Northland's weather patterns already emerging.
Fri, Sep 18
Meteorologist John Law told Breakfast people could expect temperatures to "really fluctuate this season, up and down as we head through the next few days".
NZTA said "general caution is being encouraged where snow and flooding remain" after two state highways reopened.
Thu, Sep 17
Snow, heavy rain and plunging temperatures are set to hit parts of the South Island today as a cold front moves north, bringing a sharp end to the recent mild weather.
Wed, Sep 16
MetService said Christchurch, Ashburton, Timaru and Oamaru could potentially swing from highs in the low 20s on Tuesday, to struggling to reach 10C by Thursday.
Mon, Sep 14
Westpac says developing El Niño conditions could hit pasture-based farming hard, especially dairy, sheep and beef.
Most regions will have "pockets of sunshine" to look forward to this weekend.
Thu, Sep 10
Heavy rain is raising river levels and causing disruption, with floodgates activated near Feilding and a Wairarapa bridge on alert.
Mon, Sep 7
The closure on SH6, West Coast followed heavy rain and widespread surface flooding, fallen trees and other slips reported across the central South Island today.
Sun, Sep 6
Metservice said a large trough would bring heavy rain to many areas, while snow could also effect mountain passes of the South Island.
Tararua is preparing for a possibly prolonged and intense El Niño season as scientists say this year’s climate event may be one of the strongest in recent history.
Fri, Sep 4
MetService said wind gusts of up to 211km/h had already been recorded, and the risk of thunderstorms would persist into the weekend.
Earth Sciences New Zealand said exceptional June warmth helped make this year's winter one of the country's warmest since records began.
The current El Niño is expected to bring a warm, dry and windy spring for many parts of the country – putting pressure on crops, pasture and water supplies.
Thu, Sep 3
Above average temperatures are most likely for the east and north of the North Island this spring.
Wed, Sep 2
