WATCH: Wairoa remains on heavy rain and wind watch

The Wairoa District Council was early this afternoon still monitoring forecasts and conditions amid the vagaries of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Fili, which had been expected to bring rainfall of 250-350mm and gale-force winds of up to 120kmh.

By midday, there had been just 13.5mm at the Hawke's Bay Regional Council's Wairoa River railway bridge station, but there had been 25.5mm upstream at Marumaru northwest of the town, to the east 33.5mm at Pukeorapa, and north in Te Urewera 52mm at Aniwaniwa.

The rain was also reaching further south into Hawke's Bay, with 25mm at Keirunga (Havelock North) 26.6mm at Te Aute and 24.5mm at Waipoapoa, and to the northwest of Napier 28.2mm at Te Pohue.

Wairoa Mayor Craig Little said late-morning the Council, having late-Tuesday having decided against an early precautionary Civil Defence Emergency call, was working closely with our neighbouring regions, particularly Tairawhiti and Hawke's Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management, and other agencies and gathering information and data to ensure it could react with the most appropriate response and resources if needed.

"We are hoping for the best but planning for the worst. We have responders on standby and if the weather event creates a situation where a State of Emergency needs to be declared then that is what we will do.

"Safety is our priority, particularly as our community is still recovering from the rainfall in March and this burst of further significant rain will cause additional slips and worsen damage to already saturated land," he said.

People needed to be aware they could lose electricity supply, and that trees and landslides already impacted from the end of March weather event could be further compromised.

"I know some areas of our district will be impacted more than others and our monitoring is across every direction," he said.

Dangerous river conditions and flooding were expected, although the HBRC had advised its monitoring indicated an "annual event, rather than a one in 20-year event."

But those living close to waterways or steep slopes, were still being advised to be prepared to evacuate if conditions worsened.