New Zealand weekend weather forecast: severe winds, snow warnings and thunderstorm risk

Gale-force west-to-southwest winds will impact much of New Zealand on Saturday, September 13, with weather conditions expected to improve Sunday.

MetService has issued strong wind warnings for Hawke's Bay, Tararua District, Dunedin, Clutha and Southland regions. Wind gusts are forecast to reach up to 120km/h in exposed areas during the severe weather event.

Also read: Flood-hit Northland and Tasman brace for more rain next week after a frosty spell

Weekend weather watches cover multiple regions

Strong wind watches remain active for several New Zealand regions experiencing hazardous weekend weather conditions. Affected areas include Coromandel, Bay of Plenty west of Edgecumbe, Hawke's Bay south of Wairoa and north of Hastings, Buller, Grey District, Tasman and parts of Otago.

MetService forecasters also warn of a severe thunderstorm possibility for the Buller and Grey regions during the weekend weather system.

Auckland Harbour Bridge protest cancelled due to high winds

Pro-Palestine protesters cancelled their planned Saturday march across Auckland Harbour Bridge citing dangerous wind conditions. The group announced Friday they were abandoning the bridge crossing due to high winds forecast for the weekend weather.

MetService predicted wind gusts of up to 70km/h across the Auckland Harbour Bridge during the scheduled march time. While no official weather warning covers Auckland, organizers determined conditions posed safety risks.

The protest will instead begin at Aotea Square at 9:30am and proceed through Auckland's central business district before concluding at Victoria Park.

South Island snow warnings threaten mountain travel

Weekend weather conditions include snowfall warnings for South Island high-altitude roads, creating hazardous driving conditions for motorists.

Road snowfall warnings affect upper sections of the Arthurs, Haast, Lewis and Lindis Passes. The Crown Range and Milford Roads also face snow accumulation during the weekend weather system.

Also read: New Zealand braces for severe weather, heavy winds, and thunderstorms expected

Mountain pass travelers should exercise extreme caution and check road conditions before departing during the severe weather event.