Summer continues to be put on hold — with the country in for yet another drenching as a super-soaker weather system shows no sign of easing.
The big wet hammering the top of the North Island is set to intensify today as it spreads south, bringing heavy rain and the risk of flooding, slips and thunderstorms.
But it is still too soon to say what impact a tropical cyclone that is doing damage in the Pacific might have on New Zealand later this week.
MetService has issued heavy rain warnings for Mt Taranaki, Nelson and western Marlborough, where up to 130mm of rain was expected to fall by midnight tonight. Up to 180mm was set to fall about the ranges west of Motueka.
MetService warned heavy rain in these areas may rapidly fill streams and rivers, cause surface flooding and slips and hamper driving.
Warnings have also been issued for Buller and Westland from this morning through to 3am Monday, where peak intensities could reach 25mm per hour.
It was a wet and muggy start to the weekend for the North Island, with humidity levels sitting at 100 per cent in parts of Northland yesterday. A whopping 72.6mm of rain fell in Mahia, in the Hawke's Bay region, in the 24 hours to 5pm yesterday.
Rain gauges were quickly filled in the Hawke's Bay region. Photo / Warren Buckland
Almost 53mm of rain fell in Kerikeri in the same 24-hour period. And Auckland didn't escape unscathed, with a weather station in Warkworth recording 43mm of rain.
Low cloud, rather than rain, caused problems in the capital and flights were delayed and others cancelled at Wellington Airport. Among those caught up was US rapper Macklemore, who had to land in Palmerston North and drive to Wellington for his show.
A complex low-pressure system with a series of warm fronts is set to bring more wet weather to the North Island today and tomorrow.
MetService has issued a severe weather watch for much of the island.
A heavy rain watch was last night in place for Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Waitomo, Taumarunui, northern Taranaki, western Taupo, Taihape, Horowhenua, Kapiti Coast, Tararua range and Wellington through to early Monday morning.
Meanwhile, Cyclone Gita has hit Samoa with force, causing high winds, widespread flooding and power outages. There were also reports of uprooted trees and roofs being torn off in the Pacific nation on Friday.
Cyclone Gita has caused widespread flooding in Samoa. Photo / Samoa Meteorological Service, Facebook
MetService said the category three cyclone had the potential to become a category four in the next 24 hours as it moved closer to Niue.
And according to Niwa, a potential second tropical cyclone was now developing to the west and northwest of Gita. The new cyclone would be called Hola.
MetService Meteorologist Amy Rossiter said it was still too early to know if remnants of Cyclone Gita would eventually make their way to New Zealand.
More would be known by the middle of the week, Rossiter said.
