Heavy rain watch lifted for Auckland but localised showers still affecting some areas
Wednesday, 29 August 2018
A heavy rain watch for Auckland which caused delays for commuters has been lifted earlier than expected by Metservice.
Meteorologist Mark Bowe said at 8am that the watch for Auckland, including Great Barrier Island, would be in place until Wednesday at 1pm.
But an update on MetService's website just after 10am showed it was no longer in force.
'Localised rain is still affecting eastern areas including Great Barrier Island, however the threat of widespread heavy rain has passed and the watch is lifted,' it said.
Poor weather, including flooding and traffic issues had affected Auckland motorists for most of Wednesday morning.
The New Zealand Transport Agency said at 7am that weather conditions were poor on all routes.
'Please slow down, increase your following distance, keep your lights on and take extra case,' NZTA tweeted.
Weather conditions are very poor for #AklTraffic on all routes today. Please slow down, increase your following distance, keep your lights on and take extra care. #DriveSafe ^TP pic.twitter.com/r1cWdNAwAL
— NZTA Akld & Nthlnd (@NZTAAkl) August 28, 2018
MetService meteorologist Mark Bowe said the heavy rain frontal band was heading east of Auckland, towards the Coromandel.
The station at Warkworth had 'quite a significant amount' of rain with a total of 46mm in the last 12 hours, Bowe said at 8am.
Whangaparaoa had also been hit hard by the rain with 11.6mm hitting from 6.30am until 7am.
'In any situation when you have localised downpours you can expect surface flooding because you get quite a lot of rain in a short amount of time,' Bowe said.
'Surface flooding is definitely something to watch out for, things like rivers and streams rising rapidly and drains that are maybe not cleared.'
Auckland Transport said Tomarata Valley Rd and Waitetei Rd in Wellsford, north Auckland, had been affected by flooding.
It was expected to recede with the outbound tide but motorists were asked to allow extra time for diversions, AT said.
AT said the Clevedon area, in south Auckland, had also been affected by flooding around 11.25am.
'Following earlier heavy rainfall flooding is affecting roads around the Clevedon area, including Brookby Rd, Whitford-Maraetai Rd, Twilight Rd and Alfriston Rd,' it said.
'Allow extra time for diversions.'
Flooding affected Brookby School in south Auckland. Principal Matthew Cooke said he could see water slowly rising when he arrived at the school at 7.30am.
While it was an 'inconvenience to the community', he said the water usually subsided as quickly as it rose.
'The school is never in danger of being flooded out,' he said. The flooding had subsided by mid-morning.
Fire and Emergency NZ spokesman Colin Underdown said it had been called to 14 incidents of flooding as of 7am.
Although none of the flooding incidents were major, two were in Murrays Bay and Stanmore Bay, Underdown said.
The transport agency said a crash on the Auckland Harbour Bridge at 9.25am was blocking the middle lane northbound.
It had cleared quickly but delays northbound through St Mary's Bay were expected.
UPDATE 9:35AM
This crash now cleared. Allow extra time for delays northbound through St Mary's Bay. ^TP
— NZTA Akld & Nthlnd (@NZTAAkl) August 28, 2018
Earlier, NZTA said a crash on the southwestern motorway at 7am had blocked the right lane northbound after the airport.
The crash was cleared with all lanes open as of 7.20am.
'Allow extra time for delays northbound from Manukau today.'
Surface water flooding was affecting the Hill St intersection on State Highway 1 in Warkworth in north Auckland, NZTA said.
The transport agency said the road remained open at this stage but motorists were asked to take care or avoid the route.
Auckland Transport said a train and car collision in West Auckland and a car fire in central Auckland were causing further delays.
Traffic was being diverted at the rail crossing on Metcalfe Rd, Rānui due to the crash, AT said.
As of 8am, services were back to normal between Swanson and Henderson.
AT said a section of Stoddard Rd in Mt Roskill, near Richardson Rd, was closed because of a car fire. The road was reopen as of 7.20am.
The train and car crash had disrupted train services out of Rānui and closed one lane of Metcalfe Rd, a police spokeswoman said.
Diversions were in place at Pooks Rd and Rānui Station Rd and trains were stopped while a scene examination took place.