Rain has eased in Dunedin but with more rain forecast, it could flood again in and around the city. / Otago Daily Times
Thunderstorms, heavy showers and hail are on the cards for the North Island in another wicked day of weather.
It comes after Auckland was pelted with heavy rain, hail and lightning yesterday, and even water funnels in the Hauraki Gulf.
Auckland experienced a wild day of weather yesterday. Photo / Shaun Barrows
MetService meteorologist Karl Loots said another active system was forecast tomove over the North Island this morning, bringing a moderate risk of thunderstorms with heavy showers and even hail.
To 3pm yesterday 83.5mm had fallen in Methven, 69.8mm in Roxburgh, 67.0mm in Waitati and 65.6mm in Ashburton. There were reports of flooding in parts of Otago forcing some residents to evacuate their homes.
Nearly 50mm fell in the Dunedin area over a 12-hour period, causing surface flooding, slips and the Taieri River's spillway to be opened.
Dozens of roads were closed, and residents in Henley south of Dunedin were evacuated as river levels rose.
Loots said the rain stopped down south about 9pm last night, and should remain fine for the morning before some moderate showers around midday.
Middlemarch residents were being advised not to drink water from private bores as it was likely to be contaminated after extensive flooding.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said it was distressing when people had to be evacuated.
It was the fourth year in a row they'd had flooding, but this time things could have been worse, he said.
State Highway 1 south of Milton was closed to cars, due to flooding but open to 4WDs and trucks.
The North Island would start the day relatively fine, but in the Tasman Sea were heavy showers, hail and thunderstorms that were due to move over western areas from Northland to Taranaki early morning.
Surfer at Te Awanga as heavy weather sweeps into Hawke's Bay. Photo / Paul Taylor
The thunderstorm risk would spread across much of the North Island by the afternoon and early evening.
The heavy showers and hail would move over inland parts of Buller, Nelson and Marlborough later today.
Southern Hemisphere pressure patterns 🗺️
Over the next 10 days, higher pressure (🔴) than normal is favoured well to the south of New Zealand, keeping unsettled weather (🔵) locked in for the country. pic.twitter.com/zRgergDZX5
The severe weather would start to ease tomorrow, with just some isolated across the North Island, Loots said.
Then late Thursday and Friday another front would come through from the Tasman Sea bringing rain to Northland and Auckland, before spreading over the whole country overnight Friday into Saturday.
On a global scale, New Zealand is one of several regions with warmer than average ocean temps 🌊 🌡️
May provide some extra warmth & moisture for low pressure systems in the coming weeks. pic.twitter.com/1R4UK9Vudg
"It is going to be a rainy period, and unfortunately it will not be clearing for the weekend. We will be stuck in a flow of low after low, and slow moving too."
