Eastern areas most exposed as damaging front lines up North Is
Heavy rain set to cause disruption just in time for school holidays
It’s the North Island’s turn to be lashed with heavy rain after the front that battered the South Island this week moves up the country.
MetService meteorologist Clare O’Connor said the heaviest rain is expected later today and tomorrow morning, likely disrupting travel on what is tipped to be a busy weekend on the road with the beginning of school holidays.
The first of heavy rain for the North Island was expected to arrive about 4am today in Wellington, Kapiti Coast, and Wairarapa south of Featherston, before moving further north.
A raft of heavy rain watches are expected to come into effect for the Tararua Ranges, Taranaki, Waitomo, Taumarunui, Taihape, Whanganui, and Taupo today and remain throughout the weekend.
The Far North can expect heavy rain from about 9pm, tonight, with additional watches and warnings possible over the coming days. Rain is expected to douse Auckland throughout the day, with heavy falls forecast close to midnight.
Weatherwatch.co.nz said the rain was trapped between two powerful high-pressure zones and one of those highs was also feeding tropical air into the rain.
Eastern Bay of Plenty and Tairāwhiti looked to be the most exposed to rain heavy enough to cause slips and localised flooding, the forecaster said.
Its modelling showed more than 200mm of rain was expected to fall in the eastern region between now and Tuesday.
By tomorrow night, the front moves to the northeast of the North Island and becomes slow-moving.
Queenstown yesterday recorded its wettest 24-hour period in 24 years, and Mayor Glyn Lewers declared a state of emergency for the region at 6.33am.
It followed a state of emergency being declared across Southland on Thursday night as the region was battered by severe weather.
In Queenstown, 87mm fell from 9am Thursday to 9am yesterday, Niwa said.
Up to 20 homes were evacuated and more than 100 people sought refuge overnight, the council said.
Lewers said forestry slash was responsible for the damage that led to the state of emergency being declared.
Queenstown councillor Matt Wong spoke of the “mess” on Queenstown’s Brecon St, where footage captured slash debris washing through and blocking roads.
“It looks like it happened about midnight. There was significant flooding that really brought the debris in through the township,” he told The Hits’ radio.
I’ve never seen it like this in all my life. There’s going to be some difficult questions asked.
Matt Wong
A nearby cemetery appeared to have taken a good brunt of the slip, Wong said. Logs and slash were scattered throughout the site.
“I’ve never seen it like this in all my life. There’s going to be some difficult questions asked.”
The damage closed schools and central businesses to close yesterday, on the eve of school holidays.
Flooding and debris flowed down Brecon St towards the town centre, causing damage and requiring evacuations from multiple properties on Reavers Lane, Fryer St and Hamilton Rd. Multiple roads were closed throughout the Queenstown town centre and around the district.
Snow was last night also falling in the south as motorists were urged to take extreme caution and only travel if necessary.
As snow swept through Central Otago and into Canterbury, Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency told people should avoid travel. Dumps were likely along SH73 around Porters Pass above 400m but may not get as far north as the Lewis Pass/ Hanmer area.
SH80 into Mt Cook closed due to heavy snow.