3:15pm UPDATE

(Submerged van in the Karangahake Gorge between Waihi and Paeroa.  Over 300mm of rain was recorded in this area in less than 24 hours.  Photo: Mike & Brigid Broad)

Reports of flooding are coming in from right across the North Island and the upper South Island as a depression, the size of the Tasman Sea, makes its way southwards. 

Blenheim Weather Watch reporter Anna Richards says the Taylor River is well up and local authorities have issued a flood warning.  She says companies in the Picton industrial area are being told to move items to higher ground as flood waters rise.

(Flooded backyard in Picton. Photo: Nicci Bergman)

Head weather analyst Philip Duncan says severe gales are also developing on the tail end of the low.  “As the depression moves southwards the outer bands of gales are moving onto Northland and northern New Zealand.  Winds have reached 130km/h at Cape Reinga in the past hour with gusts to 110km/h in exposed areas around Auckland”.  Mr Duncan says it’ll be a windy night in the north tonight with heavy showers off and on. 

More rain is expected tomorrow across northern New Zealand.

(Waitohi stream in flood, Picton. Photo: Nicci Bergman)

Further South and easterly gales have been hammering Manawatu and Horowhenua with reports that trucks have been blown over. Gales are also affecting the Wellington region.

Reports have also come in about a tornado in Papamoa, Bay of Plenty, during this morning’s deluge. Tauranga Weather Watch reporter Andrew Love says roofing tiles and iron were dislodged.  He says further north at Omokoroa heavy rain has brought down slips causing homes to be evacuated.

Flooding along the Kennedy Road Stream, Napier.  Photos by weather watcher Lee Curtis.

The main rain band is currently spreading across eastern parts of the North Island and upper South Island. Philip Duncan says the low is now west of Auckland’s coast and shifting southwards. “The storm will spread south today and engulf the entire country with low pressure.  The centre alone is extremely large, about the size of the North Island”.

Mr Duncan says the wet weather from this system will last through until early next week.

(flooded backyard in Napier. Photo by weather watcher Lee Curtis)
 
South Island Weather Analyst, Richard Green ,believes that rainfall totals are expected to be quite significant across the South. “Blenheim to Kaikoura could be particularly wet and conditions quite miserable with a very strong easterly as well. Surface flooding is also on the cards for the Canterbury plains including Christchurch city later today, overnight and into tomorrow morning, if the full extent of the heavy rain is realised”.

Green goes onto say “Christchurch has had 5 successive weekends of rain and snow affecting sporting events and other outdoor activities and although the weather should be mostly dry for the upcoming weekend, the saturated grounds could make conditions very difficult once again”.

The wind will pick up from the east/southeasterly direction and often this is the quarter for Mainlanders, east of the divide, where the heaviest rain can come from.

Otago and Southland should also see the rain move in late today and into tomorrow morning however at this stage it doesn’t appear to be quite as severe as their northern neighbours.

One of the few areas to escape the big wet soaking the country at the moment is the hydro lakes, however at near 70% capacity the alarms aren’t there to the degree to just over a month ago.

“In fact soon over many parts of the country, a dry spell will be necessary so that all the moisture can be absorbed and fully drained off however we here at the Weather Watch Centre are not holding our breath!”.
 

25 weather warnings have been issued by MetService – they can be found on the weather link at www.newstalkzb.co.nz

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