Southeast Australia and New Zealand to Experience Severe Wind and Rain

It is forecasted that from 24 to 26 June, under the influence of  an upper-level trough and a cutoff low vortex (Figure 1), southeastern Australia and New Zealand will experience moderate to heavy rain, with localized heavy downpours or intense rain. Some areas may  experience thunderstorms. In high-altitude regions, moderate to heavy snow or sleet is expected, with localized heavy snow accumulations. Accumulated precipitation in western coastal areas of New Zealand may reach 70 – 120 mm, with localized totals exceeding 150 mm in the Tasman region (Figure 2). Additionally, most of these regions will experience winds of 5 - 6 on the Beaufort scale, with gusts of 7 - 8, and coastal areas may experience gusts reaching 9 - 11 (Figure 3). From  27 to 28 June, as the system moves eastward and weakens, showers will persist in western South Island, New Zealand, with winds decreasing to 4 - 5 on the Beaufort scale. Vigilance is advised regarding potential impacts on power infrastructure, transportation, construction, and related industries.

Figure 1  500 hPa Geopotential Height (contours, units: dagpm) and 850 hPa Wind Field (wind barbs, units: m/s) at 1200 UTC on June 25, 2025

Figure 2  Accumulated Precipitation from June 24 to 28, 2025 (Unit: mm)

Figure 3  Maximum Gust Wind Speed (shaded, unit: m/s) for 24 Hours on June 25, 2025

Author: Hu Yingying                                 Reviewer: Niu Ruoyun 

English reviewer:Wang Yi                                                                       Issue approver:Dai Kan