Family involved in Manukau Habour boating tragedy speak, major cutbacks on the way for Auckland and big wins in last night’s Lotto draw in the latest New Zealand Herald headlines. Video / NZ Herald
More rain, humidity, warm temperatures and even thunderstorms are in store for much of the country today, but better weather could be on the cards as we approach Christmas.
A heavy rain warning is still in place today for the Coromandel Peninsula, which could have a deluge of up to140mm of rain about the ranges, causing streams and rivers to rise rapidly, MetService says. Surface flooding and slips are possible.
The warning has been extended to include western Bay of Plenty about and west of Tauranga including Kaimai-Mamaku ranges.
Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm watch is in place for Invercargill until 9pm.
“Thunderstorms are expected to develop over the southern half of the South Island this afternoon and evening,” the MetService said.
For everywhere else around the North Island, rain will ease to showers throughout the day.
Overnight the rain has also made its way down to the South Island.
A heavy rain watch is in place for Tasman northwest of Motueka until 3pm today.
Rain in Christchurch and Nelson is expected to ease by this evening while afternoon showers in Queenstown could turn into downpours of heavy rain.
The heavy rain has led to multiple road closures in Coromandel because of flooding and slips.
Photos on the Thames-Coromandel District Council Facebook pages show a massive slip blocking Old Coach Rd.
A massive slip is blocking Old Coach Rd in the Thames-Coromandel district. Photo / Supplied
State Highway 25 is closed between SH25A and Mcbeth Rd because of a slip and at Hikuia Settlement Rd for flooding.
The council said this morning Hikuai Settlement Rd was closed between Prescotts Garage and the Waterways roundabout, with a secondary closure at the 8km mark because flooding made the road impassable.
Flooding has also closed Wentworth Valley Rd and the council is also assessing Tapu-Coroglen Rd and Kennedy Bay Rd after reports of slips.
Motorists are asked to avoid travel if possible. High tide is due around 1pm so many roads are expected to remain closed until later today.
More than 220mm had fallen at the Pinnacles, 198.5mm at Golden Cross, 105mm at Castle Rock, 67.8mm in Whitianga, 56.2mm in Tauranga and 43.4mm in Whakatāne.
Here's where it was warmest, wettest and windiest overnight.
Niwa said the unsettled weather would stick around for the rest of the week as a big low-pressure weather system “spins its tyres over the Tasman Sea”.
“This will keep things pretty unsettled around our shores, siphoning moist air down from the Coral Sea.”
MetService reported that the country will continue to get warmer than average temperatures for this time of the year.
Today’s temperatures range from lows between 11C and 19C to highs between 20C and 25C.
Kaitaia, Twizel, Wanaka and Invercargill are all expected to be the hottest areas today with forecast highs of 25C.
Yesterday, Waiau in North Canterbury was the hottest, recording a sweltering high of 29.1C.
MetService said Christchurch Airport was not too far behind with 27C.
🎅 Will Santa deliver high pressure for the holiday⁉️
We're watching the long-range forecast closely!
🎁 While we can't yet wrap a gift of sunshine for Christmas Day, high pressure (🔴) looks to slide toward NZ leading up to it ~ a favourable signal overall.
Meanwhile, a sub-tropical air mass is expected to continue to create humid conditions for the South Island into the weekend and into next week for the North Island.
Weatherwatch’s Philip Duncan said the start of next week is also looking to be rainy and downpours will continue on Monday and Tuesday.
Kiwis will be hoping for a break in the unsettled weather to celebrate Christmas and meteorologists say finer weather may be on the way.
“While we can’t yet wrap a gift of sunshine for Christmas Day, high pressure looks to slide toward New Zealand leading up to it, a favourable signal overall,” Niwa tweeted.
However, Duncan said areas in Waikato, South Auckland, top of the South Island as well as inland areas in the lower South Island might get downpours throughout the day.
