Calm on way after storm

Calmer weather is forecast this weekend after torrential rain and severe wind lashed the North Island yesterday leaving thousands without power.

Firefighters rescued motorists trapped in floodwaters in Northland, while conditions were “averaging high-end storm force and gusting up to hurricane force” at the tip of the Coromandel Peninsula, Hauraki Gulf Weather said.

Surface flooding closed roads throughout the Coromandel and almost 2000 homes in the area were without power until last night.

The civil defence co-ordinator for the East Coast, Lillian Te Hau-Ward, said she had evacuated three people in Tokomaru Bay and expected more would be evacuated as rain pushed river levels higher overnight.

MetService’s severe thunderstorm watch was still in place for northern parts of Auckland and Northland last night. High winds meant several lanes on Auckland’s Harbour Bridge were temporarily closed and speed limits were lowered.

A low-pressure system arrived overnight Thursday, said MetService meteorologist Dan Corrigan, causing the weather chaos.

The heaviest rain will hit eastern areas from Auckland around to Hawke’s Bay until early this morning.

But then conditions will ease and temperatures should become warmer than average today, with Auckland expecting highs in the low 20s and Napier and Hastings tipped to reach 28C this afternoon.