The second sub-tropical low in days is fast approaching New Zealand – and this fast speed should help reduce the chances of further flooding and damage says WeatherWatch.co.nz.

The low – which was expected to bring rain into the upper North Island tonight, has arrived a few hours early, with rain now falling from Bay of Plenty northwards.  Auckland is currently on the edge of the rain band – with the heaviest rain offshore to the east, as predicted yesterday.

However Monday’s leftover low, now to the west of Northland and Auckland, could help pull the second low closer to the upper North Island – helping pull more rain into Northland, which it has started to do in the past hour.

WeatherWatch.co.nz says Northland and Auckland will be on the fringe of the second low – with the centre likely to make landfall in Bay of Plenty tonight.  MetService has today issued rain warnings for Coromandel Peninsula, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua and Gisborne.

WeatherWatch.co.nz head weather analyst Philip Duncan says the bulk of the rain will be moving south, to the east of Northland.  “As we said yesterday the main rain band will hug the Northland coastline and that’s what we’re seeing this afternoon but we are also seeing heavier falls pushing west into central parts of Northland, mostly around the Bay of Islands and Whangarei”.

Mr Duncan says on its own the rain wouldn’t normally make the news but following Monday’s flooding this low is one for locals to watch.  “It won’t take a great deal of heavy rain to cause more flooding and slips – so while we don’t expect a repeat of Monday we are saying to locals be aware of river levels and plan accordingly if you live in a flood prone area”.

“The good news is that this low is moving incredibly quickly so by Thursday it will already be clearing the North Island”.

This time yesterday the low was near New Caledonia, travelling some 1500kms in just two days.

WeatherWatch.co.nz was yesterday warning of possible severe gales but the weather news authority today believes the worst of the winds will remain offshore for the most part.  “We may see a period of strong winds tonight as the low moves in, but rain is definitely the main feature with this low” says Mr Duncan.

– WeatherWatch.co.nz