Fred Tito captured the Otuihau - Whangārei Falls in Tikipunga and Omiru Falls, also known as Wairoa Falls, in Titoki around 7.30am this morning. Video / Fred Tito
A heavy rain warning has lifted for Northland but strong winds up to 120km/h are expected to continue hammering the region.
MetService predicted severe southeast gales to ease by 1am on Wednesday with scattered showers set to plague the region for most of the week.
Until then, the weather servicewarned Northlanders that trees, powerlines and unsecured structures could be damaged.
Northpower warned its customers to be prepared for unexpected power outages caused by vegetation being blown onto the lines.
Northpower Network general manager Josie Boyd urged people to call Northpower faults on 0800 104040 to advise of outages or potential causes of outages, particularly if they see any broken lines or sparking.
"It is really important that people stay clear of any downed lines and keep others away also and call us on our Faults line."
The wet and wild weather ramped up over the final hours of Queen's Birthday Weekend as torrential downpours and high winds created minor havoc around Northland.
Firefighters were kept busy overnight as they responded to damage caused by the stormy conditions.
The Kawakawa brigade had only just returned from a house fire at Motatau on Monday afternoon — stopping on the way to cut up a tree blocking Matawaia-Maromaku Rd — when they were called out at 5.30pm to help a resident on Smeath Rd, Kawakawa, with a leaking roof.
The volunteers fixed tarpaulins to part of the roof that was letting the rain through.
Later, around 7.50pm, the brigade was called out to remove trees partly blocking State Highway 1 near the Maromaku turnoff.
Around 10.40pm the Rawene brigade cut up a downed tree blocking Mariner St, near the town centre.
There are currently no unexpected closures or blockages along Northland roads.
The Mangamuka Gorge, along State Highway One, is closed for all vehicles between Victoria Valley Rd ad Makene Rd while works to repair a significant slip are carried out.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi advised motorists to allow extra time for travel via the alternative route along SH10 between Kaitaia and Pakaraka.
A large section of dune has been washed away at Sandy Bay, on the Tutukaka Coast. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Senior Sergeant Brian Swann of Northland police said the roads had been quiet in terms of crashes.
"People have been driving more carefully. With adverse weather expected all week people will need to keep being patient and continue to slow down."
Swann said other than fallen trees, the heavy rainfall has caused some damage to Northland's roads and also made potholes harder to spot for motorists.
As of 9.30am on Tuesday four areas in the Far North were without electricity, mostly as a result of trees bringing down power lines.
The biggest power cut was north of Kerikeri where more than 270 households were affected on either side of SH10, including Takou Bay Rd, Sandys Rd and Macadamia Lane.
Top Energy expected to restore power by noon.
Several roads in the Fairburn area, east of Kaitaia, were without power along with 32 homes in the Waikino Rd area northeast of Kawakawa.
Fourteen homes on Karaka Rd and Pukepoto Rd, near Ōkaihau, have not had power since Monday.
In the 24-hours to 10am Tuesday, Northland Regional Council figures showed Whakapara, north of Whangārei, to be the wettest place in the region with 115.5mm of rain.
Wet and wild weather in Northland leaves a dinghy partially submerged at Kissing Point in Whangārei. Photo / Tania Whyte
It was closely followed by Ohaeawai (98.5mm), Glenbervie Forest (97.4mm), and Ngunguru (79mm).
The lowest rainfall, 4.5mm, was recorded at Pouto Pt in the Kaipara District.
The wettest place on Sunday was Waimamaku, in South Hokianga, with 69.5mm.
Swells peaking above 4m were recorded on the east coast of Northland, in places like Ocean Beach in Whangārei Heads and Sandy Bay on the Tutukaka Coast.
Northland Regional Council climate resilience coordinator Matt de Boer said in general, reports of coastal erosion worsening as a result of the bout of wild weather were in line with NRC's experience of previous events in Northland.
"The reality is that coastal erosion and flooding are projected to worsen in future with ongoing sea level rise and more severe coastal storms due to climate change," he said.
De Boer said NRC recently released updated and extended coastal hazard maps to help them better plan for the future.
"These will be used by district councils to manage where and how development occurs in areas at risk, and in resource consent and building consent processes."
The updated hazard maps will also form the basis for conversations with communities and tangata whenua about adapting to the impacts of climate change.
