Cyclone threat puts events on alert

As rain hit yesterday, parts of the Evers-Swindell Reserve by the Clive River were flooded. Cyclone Pam is expected to bring more rain next week. PHOTO / DUNCAN BROWN

A tropical cyclone is expected to bring a deluge of rain and gale-force winds to Hawke's Bay, threatening weekend events and prompting a warning from Civil Defence.

Cyclone Pam has been upgraded to category 3 and weather experts fear it could reach supercyclone levels as it slowly moves towards Vanuatu.

MetService forecaster John Law said Pam was predicted to narrowly miss New Zealand early next week, with Hawke's Bay likely to receive some of the worst weather in the country.

Showers were expected today and into the weekend, with the worst weather hitting early next week.

"The biggest concern for us is [next] Monday and Tuesday. Hawke's Bay is not a great spot really, it has to be said. You guys in Hawke's Bay and Gisborne, it looks like you're getting some of the wettest and windiest weather and also higher swells as well. There could be severe gales and heavy rain. Northern Hawke's Bay is going to get the brunt of it on Monday."

A number of events are set to take place at the weekend and next week which may come under threat from inclement weather. Hundreds of horse trucks are expected to arrive at Showgrounds Hawke's Bay this weekend, ahead of this year's Horse of the Year Show next week. Organiser Kevin Hansen said his team was taking the cyclone "very seriously" and all watering of the grounds had ceased as a precaution.

Tremains Real Estate marketing manager Paul Wilson said he was hoping the Sunday morning Tremains Triathlon event would be finished before the rain arrived.
"It appears like on Sunday there won't be any rain until the afternoon. Obviously we'll run the event unless it torrentially pours down and we have to change it."

The annual Hohepa Country Fair is also planned to take place on Saturday. Organiser Jeff Carrol said the event would only be cancelled if it rained heavily.

"Generally we continue on, unless it's torrential."

Ian Macdonald, Civil Defence emergency management group manager for the region, yesterday warned residents should be "prepared for a storm".

"As the cyclone tracks south on Tuesday we're likely to get heavy south westerly swells which could cause coastal damage and dangerous sea conditions."

Although the cyclone's path was uncertain, he urged residents to keep up to date with the latest weather reports.

"[The cyclone] could move further away from us, it could move closer to us - we don't know yet."

The rain has arrived after the summer months left Hawke's Bay parched, with pastures dry and rivers low.

Mr Law said the rain brought by Cyclone Pam would likely mean "a significant rain event" for Hawke's Bay.

But a Hawke's Bay Regional Council spokeswoman said the region needed at least 75mm of rain over an extended period to "get things going again - soil moisture, river flows and pre-winter crop and pasture growth".

"The rain expected over the next few days will be a start, but is not anticipated to deliver sufficient moisture to change the situation greatly."