Strong and blustery conditions combined with a very high tide has parts of Auckland on standby for some flooding to take place.

Freak tides could flood parts of the Auckland motorway network tonight and tomorrow.

The New Zealand Transport Agency said the areas at most risk are the northwestern motorway causeway between Pt Chev and Avondale and the northern motorway southbound from Esmonde Rd to the Exmouth Rd footbridge.

Critical times will be high tides at 8pm tonight and 8am and 9pm tomorrow.

“We’re on flood alert and have a number of measures in place to ensure the motorways at those points remain safe, but people will need to take extreme care over the next day or so,” said agency spokesman Tommy Parker.

Average high tides in the Waitemata Harbour vary between 2.6 and 3 metres, but it is expected high tides over the next two days to vary between 3.4 and 3.6 metres.

The high tides coincide with a rain front accompanied by strong winds moving across the country. The front’s low atmospheric pressure can increase tide levels.

WW and NZHerald