Gisborne weather: Rain warning over ranges in Tairāwhiti, surface flooding possible

MetService issued an orange rain warning over the ranges in Tairāwhiti on Wednesday morning. Graphic / MetService

An Orange-level heavy rainfall warning was issued for the Gisborne/Tairāwhiti ranges on Wednesday morning as a front moved slowly across northern parts of the North Island.

It applied to the eastern ranges of Bay of Plenty and the ranges of Gisborne/Tairāwhiti.

The warning period started at 9am today and will remain in place for 25 hours until 10am tomorrow.

“Expect 110 to 150 mm of rain, with peak rates of 15 to 25mm/h,” MetService said on its website.

MetService said there was a “minimal chance” of it being upgraded to a Red warning.

“Streams and rivers may rise rapidly, there may be surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions [are] possible.”

Tairāwhiti Civil Defence Emergency Management was monitoring the situation.