More heavy rain, gales for North

MetService was warning of further downpours yesterday — issuing its fifth heavy rain watch for Northland in five weeks.

The watch was in effect from 9am yesterday and runs until noon today for eastern parts of Northland. A strong wind watch was also issued for all of Northland from 5pm yesterday.

MetService expected easterly winds to approach severe gale in exposed places, mainly in the west.

Periods of heavy rain were forecast, mainly from yesterday evening through to this morning. Rainfall amounts might approach warning criteria, MetService warned.

“A front, preceded by moist easterlies, moves onto northern New Zealand on Wednesday. Periods of heavy rain and easterly gales are forecast for some areas of the upper North Island,” MetService said.

“Heavy rain watches remain in force for Northland, northern Auckland,

Coromandel Peninsula and western Bay of Plenty.”

The strong wind watch for parts of the North Island was updated at 10am today to include Northland.

The watch comes after the wettest November on record in Whangārei since records began in 1943, with five times the average monthly rainfall recorded at Whangārei Airport. MetService issued four heavy rain watches for the Northland region in November alone. More than 360mm of rain fell over the month, beating the previous November record by more than 100mm.

It was also a wet winter, with multiple deluges across the region. Kerikeri recorded around three times its average July rainfall.

Niwa predicts normal or above normal rainfall in the north of the North Island over summer, with temperatures “very likely to be above average”.

friends than in the previous three years. Yet our health authorities remain silent. Presumably, the protesters have made their point and won. All we want is strong leadership and for people to be told to be careful, wear masks, stay at home when sick, wash hands and other appropriate advice without needing restrictive

Fans arriving at Eden Park for the Billy Joel concert at the weekend. The latest Covid statistics show 34,528 have reported Covid infections, with 418 in hospital. Masks are rarely seen at concerts, sports, end-of-year school functions, shopping malls and parties. Where’s the leadership? a letter writer asks.

Photo / NZME

mandates. Where is the leadership? Bruce B Owen

Bombay