Northland’s Punaruku received more than a whole summer’s rain during weekend weather

There was widespread flooding northeast of Whangārei. Photo / Denise Piper

More than a summer’s worth of rain fell on a Northland coastal settlement during the weekend’s weather bomb.

Punaruku had Northland’s heaviest rainfall over the weekend - 285.5mm recorded in the region’s newest rain gauge.

The 285.5mm fell in 24 hours from 11.30am on Saturday.

The rainfall compares with about 260mm that typically falls in the area, west of Whangaruru Harbour about 50km from Whangārei, in summer.

The new rain gauge was installed on Ōtetao Reti Marae last September 11, in conjunction with its highly supportive community.

It followed the identification of a gap in Northland Regional Council (NRC)’s rain recording sites.

Ōtetao Reti Marae also opened its doors as a Civil Defence-related marae community centre during the weekend’s deluge.

Marcus Schlesier, NRC senior hydrology monitoring officer – central, said Te Tai Tokerau’s east coast had significant rainfall between midnight Saturday and 9am Sunday.

The Metservice had issued a weather watch for the duration, followed by thunderstorm warnings and an orange weather warning.

It lifted the rain warning at 9am Sunday.

Schlesier said the rain fell in torrential intensities, at times reaching about 80mm an hour.

Northland typically gets 80mm of rain in a normal January.

Recording showed that about 160mm of rain fell in two hours from 3am to 5am on Sunday.

Punaruku’s deluge compared with February 2023’s Mangawhai rain and floods, on the heels of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Back then, Mangawhai’s closest rain gauge recorded hourly rainfalls of 94mm, 85mm and 73mm over three hours - and a total 379.5mm over the 8-hour event.

NRC data shows Punaruku’s rainfall was 50% higher than the next highest rainfall recorded over the weekend, 189.5mm at Ngunguru, on the coast east of Whangarei.

There was also 149mm of rain at Glenbervie, inland from Ngunguru.

Puhipuhi, north of Whangarei, recorded 109mm.

NRC’s 13 Whangārei district rainfall recording sites otherwise varied from Marsden Point, 76mm; Whangārei central city, 64mm; Otaika, 58.5mm and Wilsons Dam near Ruakākā, 55.5mm. The Brynderwyns recorded 45.5mm.

At Poroti, 17mm fell in comparison.

The regional council’s 10 Kaipara district rainfall recording sites were topped by the heaviest falls in the lower south-east, Hakaru at Tara recorded 96mm, while Hakaru at Topuni Creek Farm recorded 69.5mm.

Its other Kaipara figures included Paparoa, 35mm; Maungaturoto, 29mm and Kai Iwi Lakes, 5mm.

Dargaville had no rain.

Meanwhile, NRC’s 17 Far North rainfall recording sites showed only 14 recorded rain – including Opua, 48mm; Taheke, 15mm; Kaeo, 5mm and Ohaeawai, 1.5mm.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.