Hawke’s Bay rain alert extends through the weekend

The watch said periods of heavy rain with a chance of thunderstorms until early Saturday morning were expected. Photo / Warren Buckland

Emergency management precautions are being put in place for Hawke’s Bay with the area under a heavy rain watch for most of the weekend.

Originally notified for the 11 hours up to 2am on Saturday, national weather agency Metservice on Friday morning extended the alert to 51 hours, to 6pm on Sunday, which includes the third anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle.

The watch said periods of heavy rain with a chance of thunderstorms until early Saturday morning were expected with possible localised downpours of 25-40mm/hour, especially inland.

More widespread heavy rain was being forecast from Saturday evening, especially about the Wairoa District, with a high chance a warning would be issued for at least some of the area for late Saturday and into Sunday.

The public were warned streams and rivers may rise rapidly, and surface flooding, slips and difficult driving conditions were possible.

Several other warnings were in place for areas further north, including the Gisborne/Tairāwhiti area.

The Hawke’s Bay Regional Council said in a social media post staff and contractors were on standby across the region.

As a precaution, the council was pre-emptively opening the Nūhaka River, Waihoratuna Lagoon and Maraetotara River mouths, and improving existing outlets at Esk River and Te Ngarue Stream.

The council was also monitoring the Wairoa River, and is positioning a mobile pump on standby in Haumoana.

It was warning “it’s a good time” for people to check and clear drains and gutters to remove obstructions.

Heavy swell warnings of waves rising to 6m were also issued for the bottom of the North Island on Friday.

The warnings are for Wairarapa – Turakirae Head to Mataikona from 10pm Sunday to 2am Tuesday.

“Southerly combined waves rising to 6m Sunday evening, then easing below warning criteria overnight Monday or early Tuesday morning.

“Peak period 11-12s,” MetService wrote in its warning issued just after 12.30pm today.

Doug Laing is a Hawke’s Bay Today reporter based in Napier, with more than 40 years’ experience covering events and issues in Hawke’s Bay, including the weather.