Source: Radio New Zealand
MetService
Residents in parts of the upper North Island are being advised to clear drains and gutters and avoid low-lying areas due to heavy rain.
MetService has issued orange heavy rain warnings for eastern Northland south of Kawakawa until midnight, eastern Auckland north of Whangaparāoa until 3pm, and Great Barrier Island until 2pm.
The forecaster says streams and rivers may rise rapidly, with surface flooding, slips, and difficult driving conditions all possible.
Up to 150mm is forecast to fall in parts of Northland before midnight, while Auckland gets drenched by up to 120mm of rain in the 16 hours to 3pm, with thunderstorms possible.
- How’s the weather at your place? Send your tips, pictures and video to iwitness@rnz.co.nz
A heavy rain watch is also in force north of Papakura, while parts of Coromandel and Northland are under a similar rain watch.
After a week of thunderstorms, intense downpours and winds, MetService is forecasting settled conditions for most of the country for Anzac weekend, with Dawn Services expected to be largely dry, but cold – especially inland.
“Waiouru is set to be one of the coldest spots, with temperatures around 1C at daybreak,” MetService meteorologist John Law said.
While nights will remain chilly, plenty of sunshine will help lift daytime temperatures, particularly across the eastern South Island.
Canterbury and Otago are expected to be the warmest parts of the country this weekend, with Dunedin forecast to reach around 22°C on Saturday, about five degrees above average for this time of year.
Fine weather should continue into Monday, with only isolated showers in the south and west.
“There will be a few showers pushing into Southland and parts of the West Coast, but for many, especially those recently affected by severe weather, it will be a welcome break,” Law said.
It comes after downpours that drove widespread flash flooding across Wellington early on Monday morning, with costs of damage expected to be in the millions of dollars.
On Thursday Wellington Mayor Andrew Little called for donations from locals who could afford to kick in cash or things like furniture, saying some families have lost everything.
Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
