Aucklanders are being warned that strong winds are likely to affect their morning commute and the Harbour Bridge could close.
MetService has issued a strong wind warning for Auckland from 2am to 9am on Tuesday, forecasting that northeast winds will rise to gales gusting 110km/h.
They said the strong wind gusts could damage trees, powerlines, and unsecured structures. Driving may also be hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles.
Waka Kotahi NZTA said these wind speeds surpass the threshold for safe use of the Auckland Harbour Bridge and could result in multiple closures over a one to two-hour time period.
Motorists are urged to plan ahead because the predicted closures could coincide with peak morning traffic.
"Waka Kotahi will continue to monitor the conditions closely and will provide updates via Twitter and Facebook," it said.
"Drivers of high-sided vehicles and motorcyclists are encouraged to avoid the Auckland Harbour Bridge while wind warnings are in place and use the Western Ring on State Highways 16 and 18."
When travelling across the bridge, motorists are urged to drive to the conditions, look out for the electronic message boards which will indicate lane closures and reduced speeds, and stay within their lane.
Motorists are also asked to check the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner before heading out.
Auckland Transport (AT) also said bus and ferry services are likely to be affected by high winds and is asking passengers on these services to consider delaying their morning travel.
AT real-time and response manager Rachel Cara said that even if there wasn't a full closure of the Harbour Bridge in the morning, bus services could still be affected by precautions put in place.
"When wind reaches the sorts of levels we're expecting tomorrow morning we expect to see disruptions to our Northern Express services, along with buses travelling from Glenfield, Beach Haven and Takapuna," she said.
"On windy and choppy days like tomorrow we also ask our ferry passengers to check to see whether their services are still running as usual, as our ferry operators often cancel trips or replace them by road depending on the conditions.
"Our advice to Aucklanders, particularly those on the North Shore, is to consider travelling later in the day tomorrow if at all possible and to check the latest AT service alert updates before leaving the house."
The most up-to-date information about cancellations and changes to the bus, train, and ferry services can be found in the AT Mobile app and the Journey Planner on the AT website.
