Riders on the storm
What’s the outlook?
Heavy downpours and strong winds are set to bring flooding and slips today as a winter storm hangs over the South Island.
The deep low hanging over the country is expected to bring more than a month’s worth of rain to parts of Canterbury over 24 hours.
The MetService says the heaviest rain will hit the eastern South Island, particularly between Dunedin and Canterbury, from this morning. Up to 200mm of rain may fall in Canterbury and eastern Otago by 6am tomorrow, and snow is also expected down to 400m in those regions.
A swathe of warnings have been issued across the country as the school holidays end with a storm that threatens to wreak widespread havoc with damaging gales, intense rain and snow.
Thousands of customers around the North Island were hit by power outages last night which contractors worked to restore overnight.
“This is a significant weather event and the combination of heavy rain and strong winds is expected to cause widespread disruption to transport, localised flooding and slips,” MetService said.
“Winds of this strength can cause damage to trees, powerlines, unsecured roofs and structures, and make driving hazardous.”
Last night it was the Bay of Plenty in the firing line. The already-sodden area was braced for up to 110mm of rain to fall over 12 hours, with peak intensities of 20-30mm per hour, as well as gales around the Coromandel Peninsula.
Flood alerts were issued, with the worst downpours last night forecast for the area east of Opotiki. Slips and surface flooding were likely, Bay of Plenty Civil Defence said. Powerco said about 1000 households in western Bay of Plenty were hit by power outages, including 600 in the Tauranga suburb of Pyes Pa.
In Rotorua severe gales took down trees and road signs and sent trampolines flying. Power was cut to more than 900 homes, most near Lake Okareka, as the city was battered by heavy rain and winds gusting up to 120km/hr. Surface flooding was also affecting some roads.
Power outages also affected residents in Kinloch near Taupo, and Helensville, Waiheke and St Heliers in Auckland.
The city was hit by winds of up to 100km/hr but escaped the worst of the rain, as did Wellington.
Showers, possibly heavy, are expected in the upper North Island today, with hail and thunderstorms possible overnight in Auckland, Tauranga and Hamilton.
In the South Island, rivers around Otago were expected to rise swiftly and emergency services were on alert.
Inspector Amelia Steel, Southern District Police operations manager, warned motorists to “hold on to the steering wheel firmly” in gusty areas and to be alert for black ice. She said drivers should take blankets, snacks and a fully charged phone, just in case.