‘Significant swell event’: MetService warns of possible 8-10m waves in Wellington, Wairarapa
Wellington is bracing for “significant” swells tomorrow, with Cook Strait sailings cancelled and forecasters saying the waves will be in a range they’ve rarely seen.
MetService has put out a heavy swell warning for Wellington and the South Wairarapa coastline, with swells up to 8m expected in the capital and 10m up the coast.
“It’s definitely a significant swell event,” meteorologist Devlin Lynden said.
“We do occasionally see these heavy swell events ... but this one is particularly notable.”
Lynden said he and other forecasters had been speaking yesterday about swell ranges they “seldom see” and these were among them.
The Wellington warning is in place from Cape Terawhiti to Turakirae Head, starting at 6am tomorrow until 6am Wednesday, with southerly combined waves rising to 7-8m about midday and easing by the evening.
The Wairarapa warning is from Turakirae Head to Mataikona from noon today until noon on Wednesday, and forecasts waves reaching 9-10m late on Tuesday morning, easing by Wednesday morning.
The peak period for the swells is expected to be 14 seconds.
Lynden said there would be strong winds pushing up the southwest of the country, which was driving the heavy swells.
“This is a pretty fast-moving system,” he said, noting the swells would be “rapidly rising” before quickly easing.
Lynden urged locals, including boaties in “potentially hazardous areas”, to keep up to date with forecasts and follow the advice of officials.
He said swells approaching Wellington were “generally speaking” in the range of 1-2m, so these would be “very large” in comparison.
Lynden also warned there was the potential for coastal flooding and encouraged those living in affected coastal areas to stay up to date also.
Both Interisland and Bluebridge ferry services have cancelled Cook Strait sailings for Tuesday, with Bluebridge also cancelling its 8.30pm sailing today.
Melissa Nightingale is a Wellington-based reporter who covers crime, justice and news in the capital. She joined the Herald in 2016 and has worked as a journalist for 12 years.