'Massive' waves on Wairarapa coast, wind gusts of 137km/h

9 Jun 2026

Ngawi residents say they've seen "massive" swells pounding the beach and boat landings in Ngawi Village.

Andrew Sim, who lives in Ngawi, said he had seen "humongous" swells crashing into the bay.

"Just huge swells just smashing into where our boats are all parked up ...it's happened before but certainly it's a real one."

Seals were seen huddling away from the ferocious waves, about 800 metres from Cape Palliser lighthouse.

Swells are also hammering Wellington's coastlines driven by strong winds. Gusts neared 100km/h in the capital, a small plane was blown over and residents were evacuated.

Follow the latest with RNZ's live blog:

Live: 11-metre waves pound Wellington's coast

High seas at Ngawi, a settlement near Cape Palliser, Wairarapa, 9 June 2026.

Photo: Supplied / Andrew Sim

Waves were forecast to reach up to 10.5 metres in Wairarapa on Tuesday.

South Wairarapa District Council closed Cape Palliser Road from 9am on Tuesday due to the risk of damage.

Sim said he had seen debris tossed up over the road.

"It's coming right into our bay, which is quite unusual - because we're sort of in a sheltered bay.

"So it's smashing directly into us."

The boats were safe and tied on, he said, but the boat landings were likely to be damaged. Boats had been brought up as high as possible.

"It's removed a heck of a lot of the metal, the sand, that we sit up on is slowly but surely getting eroding away.

"The beach is taking a pounding."

South Wairarapa District Mayor Dame Fran Wilde said the peak of the waves were expected mid-afternoon Tuesday.

She said she hoped those living around the coast were safe, and that they were a "hardy bunch".

"We did ask all of the residents to leave if they had to get out for something, and I imagine many would have done that.

"But they are a pretty hardy bunch down there and those who didn't have to will be hunkering down."

Dame Fran said she was concerned parts of Cape Palliser Road would be wrecked and impassable after the swells.

It has been closed from Hurupi Bridge since 9am this morning.

"Life safety is the main thing, but the other consideration which is really big for us now, is what's going to happen to that road - going into Cape Palliser around Ngawi.

"It's in a really bad condition now, we're in the middle of a discussion with NZTA about it, and this is just going to trash it - or it's got the possibility of just trashing it."

Dame Fran said Cape Palliser Road is a critical route for the fishing, diving, agriculture and tourism.

Metservice meteorlogist Silvia Martino said wind gusts had reached 137km/h at Cape Turnagin, and Castle Point has had gust of 115 km/per hour.

Martino said residential spots such as Ngawi, had winds of 93 km/per hour, and Featherston, Masterton and Martinborough had winds in the 80 to 85 per/hour range.

"Most places that's just been one particularly big gust in an hour, but it's been pretty strong throughout the morning."

High seas at Ngawi, a settlement near Cape Palliser, Wairarapa, on Tuesday.

Photo: Supplied / Andrew Sim

Air New Zealand said it intends to operate all flights as scheduled - on the condition that they can safely arrive and land in Wellington.

The airline said all but two flights have arrived in Wellington on Tuesday, with one having to turn around and head back to Auckland.

It was constantly monitoring the weather situation with its Wellington team.

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