Heavy rain for Bola anniversary

FLASHBACK: The Wairoa river after the destruction of the town bridge in Cycloine Bola in March 1988. Heavy rain is forecast over the next few days, the 29th anniversary of the cyclone. PHOTO/FILE

Heavy rain is still being forecast for Hawke's Bay this week, the 29th anniversary of the devastating Cyclone Bola which hit the region on March 6-8, 1988.

Metservice forecasts included a "severe weather watch", which was due to be updated last night and which warned of bursts of heavy rain today and tomorrow from Northland to Northern Hawke's Bay.

It is the same area as forecast for the famed cyclone, which washed away the Wairoa town bridge, closed the Napier-Wairoa road for more than a week, and throughout the North Island cost three lives, with rainfall peaking in the Hawke's Bay-Gisborne region with three-day rainfall in some places over 900mm.

Cyclones about the same time of the year have been forecast several times over the years, including Cyclone Lusi in 2014 which resulted in the cancellation of numerous sports events but comparatively little of the predicted tempest.

Rain is however forecast for the rest of the week in Hastings, where almost 2000 horses and ponies are taking part in the Southern Hemisphere's biggest equestrian event the Horse of the Year Show.

Metservice said low and associated fronts over the Tasman Sea were moving southeastwards and would bring rain to much of the North Island, especially northern and central parts, the heaviest falls likely to be in Waikato, Coromandel Peninsula and Bay of Plenty.

It carried an extra warning that while the initial burst of heavy rain was forecast to be relatively short lived, further rain is expected from Thursday to Sunday, and was likely that the weather "Watch" would be extended.

This Watch is for the possibility that rainfall accumulations will meet warning criteria in the following areas.