Weather: Flood warnings as heavy rain, gales forecast for Gisborne, Bay of Plenty

Sunday, 31 May 2020

A heavy rain warning is in place for Gisborne and the eastern Bay of Plenty. (File photo)

Holidaymakers are being asked to hunker down as MetService issued a heavy rain warning for the eastern Bay of Plenty and Gisborne on Sunday night.

MetService said about 8.30pm Sunday that a deep low and associated fronts were expected to move south over the upper North Island during Monday.

Rain and strong winds were forecast for much of northern New Zealand, with the heaviest rain likely in Northland, Coromandel Peninsula, the eastern Bay of Plenty ranges and Gisborne.

People enjoy the great weather in New Regent St in central Christchurch on Saturday.

A heavy rain warning was in place for Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay and the eastern ranges of the Bay of Plenty. The warning was valid from 2am through to 11pm Monday.

* Another bout of severe weather headed for east, north North Island

* Strong winds forecast for Manawatū, Whanganui and Horowhenua-Kāpiti

MetService said people in those areas could expect periods of heavy rain, with between 100-130mm accumulating, especially about the ranges.

Peak rates of between 15-25mm per hour were forecast for late Monday morning and the afternoon.

MetService said the rain could cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, and surface flooding and slips were also possible. Motorists were warned that driving conditions could be hazardous.

A heavy rain watch was also in place for Auckland, the western Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, while gale easterlies were likely to affect Northland, Auckland, the Coromandel and northern Waikato.

Strong winds had the potential to damage trees and power lines, lift roofs and make driving hazardous, especially for high-sided vehicles.

People were advised to secure items and structures, as the areas had not experienced strong easterly winds for an extended period of time, MetService said.

The warnings come after the upper North Island braced for possible flooding on Sunday.

MetService previously issued a heavy rain warning for Northland and the Coromandel Peninsula, with up to 150mm of rainfall forecast on Sunday and Monday.

The Coromandel beach town of Whitianga was lashed by a severe thunderstorm which brought more than 107mm of rain between 11pm on Saturday and 1am Sunday.

Queen's Birthday holidaymakers should take extra care while driving home as the roads may be hazardous.

Sections of two main North Island highways – State Highway 25 in Waikato between the townships of Hikuai and Whitianga and State Highway 12 near Dargaville in Northland – remained closed due to flooding and a slip.

Thames Coromandel District's (TCDC) Emergency Operations Centre had been activated Sunday as civil defence and emergency services prepared for possible flooding and power outages.

'The worst of this storm will be overnight [Sunday] so it is essential everyone takes all precautions to mitigate what will at best be an uncomfortable night ahead' TCDC Civil Defence Controller Garry Towler said.

'Secure outdoor furniture, check gutters and drains in your neighbourhood, check that your neighbours are ok, set up gas appliances and torches in case power goes out, charge phones and then just hunker down. It will be over by mid-afternoon on Monday,' he said.

Towler issued a plea to all travellers, especially motor home travellers, to stay put and not attempt to get off the Coromandel until the bad weather passed.