Flooding turned a Tolaga Bay bridge to logs. More heavy rain, gales, and even snow is coming

Monday, 4 June 2018

The North Island is in for more of a battering from the wild weather sweeping through, but a cold front is also on the way and the South Island's in the way.

Heavy rain has been falling in Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel Peninsula and the eastern North Island, with thunderstorm warnings in place.

Overnight Monday, a weather watch was in place for the already battered Tolaga Bay, where logs and flooding swept through the Hikuwai River and coated the nearby Wigan Bridge in logs, making it all but impassable.

Tairawhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management and Gisborne District Council's flood warning team were monitoring the situation overnight and the watch would remain in place until 1pm Tuesday.

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Emergency manager Louise Bennett said rainfall amounts may approach warning criteria, especially during Tuesday morning.

'While we normally don't put out watches, the areas are sodden and even a small amount of rain may cause issues especially around the Uawa area.'

Up to 30 properties were still without power and phones in the area west of Tolaga Bay.

Tairawhiti Roads journey manager Helen Harris said eight bridges in the area were of particular concern.

'All truckies in the area have been notified and the forestry companies have bene asked to stay off the roads as much as possible.'

Effects of the storm will continue to be felt across the North Island on Tuesday, but from Tuesday evening into Wednesday, the south can also expect a cold snap.

MetService said the weather hitting the North Island on Monday was being driven by a low pressure system moving in slowly from the northwest Tasman Sea.

'It's been approaching and spiralling around itself and there's a couple of fronts embedded in the low pressure which is what is bringing each band of rain and thunderstorms as it passes over.

'So that is expected to move across Auckland-ish tonight and then swing past East Cape, Gisborne tomorrow and then move away again.'

The next system is moving in from the south.

'At the moment, all of the interesting weather is happening in the North Island and the South Island has been quite fine with cloud increasing in the south but we are expecting … tomorrow [Wednesday] morning for there to be a cold front to hit the bottom of the South Island and slowly move up the country.

'That is expected to be bringing some snow - we currently have a heavy snow watch out.'

MONDAY NIGHT

The weather hitting the country on Monday was bad enough that State Highway 1 north and south of Kaikōura was closed overnight.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said SH1 would be shut either side of the town from 6pm on Monday and was expected to reopen by 9.30am on Tuesday.

Alternate routes were available to access Kaikōura from the south and to bypass the closed area to get from Canterbury to Blenheim.

A heavy rain warning was in place for Auckland and Great Barrier Island from 4pm Monday until 8am Tuesday, with up to 30mm per hour possible at times and an expected total of up to 90mm over a 15 hour period and thunderstorms were also possible.

There was also a moderate chance of thunderstorms for Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula on Monday night.

Heavy rain was predicted to keep falling through to early Tuesday for many eastern areas, with gales and heavy snow forecast as well.

For Bay of Plenty east of Te Puke and Gisborne north of Tokomaru Bay, heavy rain was expected to return overnight with possible thunderstorms.

Earlier the Hikuwai River at Willow Flat, north of Tolaga Bay, rose from an average two metre height to 12.6 metres at 7am. This had dropped to 6.5m at 2pm. It was still four metres above average flow at 8pm.

Three people had to be rescued from the roof of their house.

The rain was centred around the area north and west of Tolaga Bay and on the coast and inland of Whangara.

Meanwhile, State Highway 35 was opened to traffic after being closed for several hours today. The Paroa and Mangatokerau roads at Tolaga Bay will be closed until 5pm on Wednesday with an update due midday Wednesday.

Other roads closed are Pa Road, Waiomoko, Arakihi, Kiore Road, Anaura Bay Road, Kaiaua, Waihau Bay, Glenroy and Tauwhareparae.  An update on these will be provided at noon tomorrow.

Heavy rain was also possible through to Monday night along the Kaikōura Coast and in the ranges.

MetService issued road snow warnings for the Lindis Pass, the Crown Range Road and the Milford Road for 12.30pm to 10pm on Monday.

TUESDAY ONWARDS

MetService said 'strong and cold' southwesterlies were expected over the country from late Tuesday to Wednesday.

Snow was expected to fall to as low as 200 metres - with heavy falls above 400m - on Tuesday night through to Wednesday morning, in Fiordland, inland Southland and Clutha, inland Dunedin, Central Otago and the Southern Lakes.

South to southwesterly gales are expected from Tuesday evening to early Wednesday morning in coastal Clutha and Dunedin, and could approach severe gale strength.

Confidence is high for rainfall accumulations reaching warnable amounts in the remainder of Canterbury and Marlborough during Wednesday and Thursday, with heavy snow likely above 400 metres.

During Wednesday and Thursday rainfall could reach warning criteria in Wellington and southern Wairarapa.

Severe southerly gales could hit eastern parts of Canterbury and Marlborough including the Sounds, Wellington and southern Wairarapa during Wednesday and Thursday, MetService said.

From late Thursday through to Saturday, a ridge of high pressure was expected to spread onto New Zealand from the Tasman Sea, bringing settled conditions.