Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Northland weather: More rain on way after ex-tropical cyclone Lola lashes region

Brodie Stone
By Brodie Stone
Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·
30 Oct, 2023 04:00 PM4 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Ex-tropical cyclone Lola battered Northland on Sunday and Monday, with excess water flooding central Whangārei. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Ex-tropical cyclone Lola battered Northland on Sunday and Monday, with excess water flooding central Whangārei. Photo / Michael Cunningham

It was a dramatic 48 hours in Northland as ex-tropical cyclone Lola brought power outages, a dramatic sea rescue, flooding and strong winds - and there could be more rain on the way.

A heavy rain watch was in place until this morning after MetService’s orange heavy rain and wind warnings expired on Monday.

MetService’s extended weather report shows the rain continuing today, before a small break in the weather.

MetService said as Wednesday rolls on, the widespread rainfall from the low will have eased away, however, the upper North Island can still expect showers, some of which may be thundery and heavy, especially inland.

The tropical airmass brought about by Lola will mean warm temperatures are expected to reach most regions across the country. Northland is expected to reach just over the 20s at its peak today and tomorrow.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A low-pressure system with its associated fronts will sweep across the country on Thursday and Friday, bringing rain.

The warm weather could be a reprieve from wild weather over Sunday afternoon, evening and early Monday morning.

A month and a half’s worth of rain hammered Kaikohe in the space of 24 hours, and Cape Reinga reported 140 km/h winds, similar to gusts brought about by Cyclone Gabrielle earlier this year.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Further south, Whangārei Airport reported a 90 km/h wind on Sunday night that caused multiple flight cancellations thatcontinued onto Monday morning.

Several schools across Northland had to close due to flooding, bus service cancellations and power outages.

Road closures also occurred due to fallen trees, surface water and flooding, with over 10 in Whangārei, one in Kaipara and one in the Far North.

Whangārei bus services ground to a halt on Monday due to flooding on Kaka Street, a spot frequently inundated during bouts of heavy rain.

Kaka Street was yet again closed on Monday after flooding. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Kaka Street was yet again closed on Monday after flooding. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Northpower reported five power outages as of Monday afternoon - after reporting 700 customers without power earlier in the morning.

Crews had tried to work throughout Sunday night to restore power, however high winds meant it was no longer safe to have people working.

Top Energy reported 3500 customers without power on Monday morning, but by noon, 700 remained cut off.

They said that it may take “some time” to fully repair the network.

Perhaps the most dramatic event of the past 48 hours was the rescue of a yachtie near North Cape on Sunday morning.

Strong winds caused swells up to 10m at times, which battered a 12-metre yacht off the cape.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

A French citizen, who had no life raft, was the only person aboard. He signalled for help about 9am - after the Juan Sabulan began to take on water. The Northland and Auckland Westpac Rescue Helicopter crews responded.

As they hovered above the yacht, Northland Rescue Helicopter co-pilot Bernie McQueen warned pilot Steve Couchman to keep the aircraft away from dangerous water surges.

A French citizen was rescued after they got into trouble on their yacht the Juan Sabulan off North Cape. Photo / Northland Rescue Helicopter
A French citizen was rescued after they got into trouble on their yacht the Juan Sabulan off North Cape. Photo / Northland Rescue Helicopter

Crouchman told NZMElarge swells buffeted the helicopter and the sea became even rougher as the crew prepared to carry out the rescue.

There were even discussions of having to abandon the effort under the conditions, he said.

After several attempts to get the helicopter low enough, it finally dropped between 10m and15 mto place paramedic swimmer Dan Short in the water.

Winch operator Richard Sharp - also a critical care paramedic - was then able to bring the pair aboard.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Couchman said the yachtie “did the right thing” in recognising the danger he was in - and leaving the yacht after realising there was no option other than to abandon it.

The yachtie was described as “very thankful” and was taken to Kerikeri Airport, where he was met by customs and police.

“I shook his hand and said, ‘Welcome to New Zealand’,” Couchman said.

Brodie Stone is the education and general news reporter at the Advocate. Brodie recently graduated from Massey University and has a special interest in the environment and investigative reporting.


Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Injured kiwi filmed tucking into bowl of worms

Watch
Northern Advocate

'Hell, she’s after them!' Kiwi filmed snacking on worms after being hit by car

Northern Advocate

'People are angry': Telehealth consults at Kaitāia Hospital slammed


Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Injured kiwi filmed tucking into bowl of worms
Northern Advocate

Injured kiwi filmed tucking into bowl of worms

A female North Island brown kiwi hit by a car is recovering well - and a bowl of worms gave her a boost. Video / Whangārei Native Bird Recovery Centre

Watch
20 Aug 11:00 PM
'Hell, she’s after them!' Kiwi filmed snacking on worms after being hit by car
Northern Advocate

'Hell, she’s after them!' Kiwi filmed snacking on worms after being hit by car

20 Aug 11:00 PM
'People are angry': Telehealth consults at Kaitāia Hospital slammed
Northern Advocate

'People are angry': Telehealth consults at Kaitāia Hospital slammed

20 Aug 05:00 PM


Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet
Sponsored

Farm plastic recycling: Getting it right saves cows, cash, and the planet

10 Aug 09:12 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP