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Continuing heavy rain has prompted local authorities to clear river mouths in parts of the South Island to prevent flooding.
Snow is also predicted down to 500m in Canterbury, according to its regional council. Metservice has predicted heavy rain in the area until Wednesday.
In the North Island, rain continues
to fall in eastern Coromandel and east through the Bay of Plenty to Hawkes Bay.
One river near Thames came within centimetres of reaching flood warning levels after surging more than 1.2m in three hours, but has stabilised after rain eased.
Metservice has not yet updated its weather warnings in place for much of the country since this morning.
Environment Canterbury spokeswoman Frances Adank said at 2pm that heavy rain continued to fall near Timaru, and gravel was being cleared from a river mouth to prevent flooding. Another river near the town had been cleared this morning.
Ms Adank said surface flooding had covered some roads.
In Waikato, the regional council, Environment Waikato, reported a 1.2m rise in Kauaeranga River, east of Thames, between 7.10am to 10.10am. More than 100mm of rain has fallen in its catchment in the past 24 hours. Emergency management duty officer Adam Munro said this morning that up to another 140mm could fall.
Thames-Coromandel emergency management officer Helen White said staff were keeping a close eye on the river but there had been no damage reported and rains were now easing.
Overnight, areas from Northland to the Bay of Plenty experienced heavy falls. At 8am, Whitianga had 54mm and Whangarei 40mm, said forecaster Richard Finnie. "Some stations on the hills would have had a lot more than that," he said.
Northland
Parts of Northland saw 39mls of rain falling in an hour.
Northland Regional Council hydrologist Dale Hansen said the heaviest falls were west of Whangarei.
He said the council believed the rivers were "able to handle it" but water levels on some of the larger rivers could take longer to rise.
"Overall, the rain is desperately needed but not that heavy," Mr Hansen said.
He said farmers who had re-grassed fields after the drought could have lost new pasture in the rain.
Council spokesman Matt Johnson said the council was still worried about the long term effects of the recent drought, which has been calculated to cost the Northland economy $300 million.
The council removed water restrictions only last week.
"While the urbanites can go back to washing their cars, they need to be careful," Mr Johnson said.
Northland Federated Farmers dairy chairman Ashley Cullen said the heavy rain had not caused scouring or any damage to pasture.
He said with the warm soil temperature, the rain should bring some much needed grass growth ahead of calving.
Mr Cullen said his area - Maungaturoto - has had 76mms overnight while his cousin who farms further east at Waipu only got 24mms.
"We're not out of the woods yet," he said.
Mr Cullen said some farmers were only nine weeks away from calving and would need some extra feed after the drought.
The rain in the South Island was not yet heavy, but the rain band was moving as forecasts expected and would hit Canterbury and Otago later today, Mr Finnie said.
In addition to flood warnings, Environment Canterbury is predicting with snow down to 500m and significant gales for the region.
Otago Regional Council has issued severe flood warnings for all North Otago catchments, and Environment Canterbury is opening river mouths near Timaru blocked with gravel in anticipation of flooding.
Civil Defence
Auckand Civil Defence and Nelson Tasman Civil Defence have issued warnings that people be prepared in case of emergencies.
Auckland Civil Defence spokeswoman Kiri Maxwell said the team was monitoring weather reports from the MetService.
She said Aucklanders needed to be prepared for a Civil Defence emergency.
A Statistics New Zealand survey released in March showed only 26 per cent of households had an emergency plan with only 34 per cent of Aucklanders reporting to have had three days of water.
"At the end of the day, if we do have an emergency, we are not an army of people." Ms Maxwell said.
She said Aucklanders needed three day's supply of food and a gas cooker, amongst other things.
Streams and rivers could rise quickly, resulting in flooding, particularly on roads. The weather is likely to make driving dangerous, causing slips in hilly areas and damaging trees and power lines.
One river in the Coromandel has surged more than 1.2m in three hours to just 14cm below early warning flood levels.
Environment Waikato reported the rise in Kauaeranga River, east of Thames, between 7.10am to 10.10am. More than 80mm of rain has fallen in its catchment in the past 24 hours, while almost 100mm has fallen at Castle Rock, west of Whitianga, also in the Coromandel.
Environment Waikato emergency management duty officer Adam Munro said this morning that the area was expecting another 140mm in the next 24 hours, but expected the region would be able to cope.
There had been no reports of major flooding or damage beyond surface ponding, he said.
Click here for NZ Transport Agency road information
Boaties are also recommended to check their moorings.
Power and phone services could be disrupted, so people are advised to have a torch and a battery-powered radio to listen to weather alerts.
Waikato Civil Defence official Chris McLay said an emergency team was based on the peninsula after the warning was issued.
Whangarei Civil Defence spokeswoman Ann Midson said a team there was on high alert and warning people in the area to be on guard.
"People know what to do when a warning like this comes - we've been through very long, severe droughts and heavy storms.
"But we're telling people to be careful [this] morning - of fallen trees on the roads, flooding and stock that might wander onto the roads."
Metservice warnings:
The eastern hills of Northland
Heavy rain of up to 15mm per hour this morning and northeast gales in exposed places.
Auckland north of Orewa and Great Barrier Island
Heavy rain of up to 15mm per hour late morning and early afternoon, with gales in exposed places.
Auckland Civil Defence has reminded people in low-lying areas to have emergency supplies in case they need to move to higher ground.
Coromandel Peninsula and western Bay of Plenty
Up to 160mm of rain today, with heaviest falls of 20mm per hour this afternoon or evening. Northeast gales in exposed places.
Eastern Bay of Plenty, Gisborne north of Tolaga Bay and Tongariro National Park
Heaviest rain tonight or early morning Tuesday, up to 20mm per hour. Northeast gales in exposed places.
Eastern hills of Hawke's Bay and Wairarapa south of Napier
In the 12 hours from 10pm Monday to 10am Tuesday, expect 60 to 90mm of rain peaking at 10 to 15mm/hr Tuesday morning. This rain may be accompanied by a spell of southerly gales in exposed places.
Nelson west of Motueka
Up to 120mm of rain today with up to 20mm per hour this morning.
Nelson Tasman Civil Defence has issued a warning to residents affected by last weekend's flood because debris may still be blocking some streams.
Canterbury south of the Waimakariri River, north Otago and Dunedin
Up to 250mm rain from this morning to midnight Tuesday around the Canterbury foothills south of the Rangitata River and the hills and ranges of North Otago and Dunedin. Heaviest falls of about 15mm per hour overnight tonight.
- With NZPA
