Live: Wet weather front kicks off school holidays

Police is asking motorists to be vigilant and drive to the conditions. Photo / Michael Cunningham

KEY POINTS:

• MetService has issued a heavy rain warning for Northland from 9am until 11pm tonight
• Strong wind warning is in place from 10am until Tuesday morning 2am
• Large swell expected south of the Bay of Islands
• Police ask drivers to be vigilant and drive to the conditions
• Top Energy reports several outages
• slips on SH1 either side of Mangamuka Gorge, road remains open
• Omaunu Rd in Kāeo is flooded

A weather warning has been issued for Northland as a low pressure front is moving across the region on the first day of the school holidays.

MetService has issued a heavy rain warning from 9am today until 11pm tonight.

There is also a strong wind warning is in place from 10am until 2am, Tuesday morning, with gusts up to 120km/h.

MetService meteorologist Peter Little said the low pressure front would bring heavy rain throughout the day.

"The rivers are filling up so flooding is possible. People travelling today need to also be weary of surface flooding," Little said.

Floodwaters are lapping at State Highway 10 north of Kaeo, according a Northland Regional Council webcam.

As of 11am Kaeo River has reached a level at which flooding of SH10 begins. Photo / Supplied

As of 11am the camera, which is mounted at Kāeo Fire Station, shows the station's rear deck is submerged and water has reached the level at which Dip Rd is flooded.

Omaunu Rd in Kāeo — which leads from SH10 to homes on the far side of the valley as well as Whangaroa Hospital — was completely submerged as of 1pm.

It was still passible to vehicles with high ground clearance but not suitable for small two-wheel drives.

Former Kāeo fire chief Lindsay Murray, whose home overlooks the valley, joked: ''We've got our water view back''.

Floodwaters were about halfway over SH10 just north of town, he said.

The highway is passable with care.

High tide at Whangaroa was at 9.08am. The next high tide is at 9.37pm this evening.

Slips have been reported on SH1 on either side of Mangamuka Gorge but the highway remains open to all but over-sized vehicles.

The heaviest rainfall overnight was at Touwai, inland from Matauri Bay, which recorded a massive 106.7mm in the 24 hours to 8.30am this morning.

Kaeo recorded 71.8mm during the same period and Puhipuhi 67.5mm according to Northland Regional Council figures.

Whangārei's weather station measured 31.4mm and Kerikeri had 49.8mm of rainfall since 4pm on Sunday.

Large swells up to three meters are expected along the east coast, south of the Bay of Islands.

"Conditions near the beach will be dangerous today," Little said.

Temperatures remain mild around 13 to 14C during the day, down to 7C during the night.

Road police team manager Terry Phillips is asking motorists to drive to the conditions.

"Stick to the speed limit and keep an appropriate following distance to other cars," Phillips said.

He recommended driving slowly around corners and across surface flooding.

As of noon today there were two weather-related power outages in the Far North.

One affected 45 homes on Sullivans Rd in Paihia and was caused by power line damage around 10.50am. Top Energy expected to restore power around 5pm.

Another 14 homes on Aucks Rd, Ranui Rd and Waikino Rd, west of Opua, lost power at 10.20am. Repairs were expected to be completed by 2pm.

Northpower encourages Northlanders to be prepared because the likelihood of power outages could increase as wet and windy weather persists.

"It's important to ensure that you're prepared for storms or other situations that may affect your power supply," Josie Boyd, Northpower Network general manager, said.

"People should ensure they have enough drinking water to last three days and it is worth filling buckets and baths (if you have one) for washing and toilet flushing."

Boyd recommended to keep mobile phones charged and ensure people have a car charger for their devices.

People should also have a torch handy and have a gas bottle topped up for cooking.

To report dangerous conditions on Northland's roads, call 105.