Monster waves have been lashing New Zealand's coast on Sunday after explosive cyclogenesis saw a low-pressure system northeast of New Zealand whip up waves as much as 10-metres tall.
Pressure rapidly dropped in the low off Aotearoa leading to dangerous beach conditions today as strong winds and big waves mounted a concerted attack.
"There are big waves for the eastern coast of the upper North Island due to a rapidly deepening low to the northeast," MetService says on Facebook.
"The low in question is comparatively close to NZ (for swell) which means less of the clean, long-period swell waves and more of the noisy, short-period wind waves."
These swell waves and wind waves combine to make the wave you see in the water.
"In general, the wind waves outsize the swell waves until around Wednesday, so until then it is bad conditions for surfing - in short, a big dangerous mess!" MetService adds.
"Not a good time to be in the water!"
MetService says there has been "huge seas in the north" along with a photo of Sandy Bay on the Tutukaka Coast in eastern Northland.
"You wouldn't want to be in the water! The nearby wave buoy at Marsden Point (Whangārei) has seen average wave heights of 5-7m, largest up to 10m earlier," it tweeted.
A set of photos captured at Omaha Beach earlier today show incredible surf slamming the beach.
Fortunately the low will remain offshore rather than hitting New Zealand directly, however it's likely to continue bringing foul weather to the country for the next week.
"We will still see the effects of the wind, waves and rain associated with it though eastern parts of the North Island right through the coming week, and it is quite likely to combine with a frontal system and affect a broader part of the country next weekend," MetService says.
"It really is the low that keeps on giving!"
For all the areas with wind and rain warnings in force, see MetService here.
