More heavy rain for Auckland through today and tomorrow
Auckland’s respite from downpours will be brief.
Heavy rain is expected across the region today and tomorrow, forecasters predict, as other parts of the country also struggled with a deluge.
On-and-off showers will continue into today ‘‘amping up’’ through the day as they become steady, heavy downpours, MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan said.
A rain watch is in place for Auckland from 6am today to midnight.
Slow-moving low pressure will remain just west of the upper North Island until Tuesday, when it moves east, according to the forecast. It will bring rain and heavy showers through Auckland today heading into tomorrow and possibly Tuesday.
The MetService forecast warned that while the upcoming rain should not match the intensity of that which fell on Friday, impacts were still ‘‘expected to be severe and wide-reaching’’.
MetService said the rain was likely to cause more flooding through northern regions over coming days.
Additionally, Corrigan said there was a chance of thunderstorms over parts of Auckland today.
While forecasters couldn’t predict exactly where the thunderstorms would form, Corrigan said they could bring heavy, localised showers.
He said MetService’s severe weather warning team was assessing the situation and would keep the public up to date with what was on the horizon.
Corrigan said the rain that was on the way would be heavy, but it was ‘‘extremely unlikely to be of the same calibre’’ as that experienced on Friday night.
Auckland was hit by torrential rain, with 245mm recorded at Auckland Airport in the 24 hours from 9am on Friday, surpassing the previous record of 161mm by about 50%. Some weather stations reported more than 80mm of rain in an hour.
People in areas facing rain warnings were advised to keep on top of forecasts and up to date with emergency investigations.
Late yesterday, in Waitomo, a state of emergency was also declared after flooding, slips and inundation.
Local Mayor John Robertson said the situation was serious and evacuations were being prepared for.
Residents were urged to stay home if it was safe.
Elsewhere in the country, heavy rain was also causing problems. Yesterday afternoon, the Mangaekewa Stream in Waikato was overflowing due to severe weather, and several streets in Te Kuiti were blocked.
There were heavy rain and severe thunderstorm warnings and watches throughout much of the North Island.