Not everyone is out of the woods yet as a wintry blast continues to affect many parts of the country.  As we published this story another surge of squally showers, some with hail and isolated thunderstorms, were surging up the western coastline of New Zealand.

The showers moved up the West Coast this morning and will push up the North Island’s west coast across the afternoon and evening.

This is likely to be the last big surge of rough weather for western New Zealand from this event – and even though blustery winds and a few briefly heavy showers will continue through Thursday they should be shorter lived and not as intense with winds easing by evening for most.

However it’s a different story on the other main coastline.  

Eastern New Zealand will have winds increasing this afternoon and evening as the low that was once a weather bomb south of Stewart Island morphs into a larger but slightly less intense low and actually starts to drift north eastwards (after tracking south eastwards at the start of the week).  The storm remains centred well out to sea but the gales will slide up and along the eastern coastline.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says these severe gales will brush the coastline but hopefully not cause too many issues. 

MetService has, however, issued wind warnings for Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Otago and Southland, which you can find on their website. 

Meanwhile the snow level over New Zealand will gradually rise over the next day or so as slightly warmer air starts to move in.  The warmth may not be too noticeable for many of us with temperatures still well down but the slight shift will be enough to stop snow from falling in more populated areas and highways. 

WeatherWatch.co.nz says snow is not expected in any main centres on Thursday but a few flurries may still fall over the Desert Road and some Alpine passes in the South Island.  Snow may also affect a few roads around Southland and Otago.

The weather news authority warns motorists that black ice could be severe in some parts of the South Island and central parts of the North Island over the coming days as a large high rolls in from the west locking in the cold air and allowing overnight lows to plummet to their lowest levels so far this week.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz