Winter is closing in and large swells and combined waves are expected in Wellington and Wairarapa from this evening.
Significant wave height Thursday 26 May. Photo: Twitter / @MetService
MetService warns from Cape Terawhiti to Turakirae Head, starting late evening a southerly swell and combined waves will reach 5 metres, easing to 4 metres on Thursday afternoon.
High tide in Wellington at 1.21am coincides with a high energy long period swell, and MetService warns roads and exposed buildings could be affected by water and debris thrown onshore.
The warning is in place from 9pm Wednesday through to 6pm Thursday.
In Wairarapa, from Turakirae Head to Mataikona southerly combined waves and swell are expected to reach 2.5 metres before rising to 5.5 metres late Wednesday and easing on Thursday evening to 4 metres.
Temperatures around the country are nosediving and Twizel hit -5 degrees Celcius earlier this week.
Niwa forecasts colder than average temperatures this week, especially Thursday to Saturday morning.
Twizel resident Scott Aronsen told Morning Report this is just the beginning of the colder period.
"It's nothing unexpected. The minus five was probably a little bit unexpected but hey, we're just fortunate that everyday we have a cold temperature like we have had, we have glorious sunshine."
Aronsen said hoar frosts are just around the corner and temperatures will probably hit -10 degrees.
"I've been in Twizel for 26 years and I can remember it going to minus 20."
It's a very dry climate in Twizel so the cold is quite bearable, he said.