Weather: Heavy rain, severe gales lash Auckland, Northland, Coromandel, Bay of Plenty

Heavy rain and severe gales have begun to affect the top half of the North Island, with forecasters warning the worst is yet to come.

A low-pressure system originating from the tropics will move towards New Zealand tomorrow, bringing a month’s worth of rain for Northland.

MetService meteorologist Katie Lyons told the Herald Northland has already been hit by heavy rain, with Kerikeri receiving over 65mm in 24 hours.

She said Kerikeri’s average rainfall for January was usually about 115mm.

A downed tree in the Mangawhai area caused power outages for nearly 500 people earlier today.

However, MetService has warned residents across the top of the North Island that the weather would get worse during the next 48 hours.

A heavy rain warning is currently in place for the Coromandel Peninsula until 6am on Thursday with 200mm to 250mm of rain expected to fall.

“Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h expected Wednesday morning, afternoon and evening,” MetService said.

A 24-hour orange rain warning is set to come into force for the Northland region from 1am tomorrow, with 120mm to 160mm of rain forecast to fall.

“Peak rates of 15 to 25 mm/h at times with localised downpours of 25 to 40mm per hour possible,” MetService said.

There is a high chance both of these warnings will be upgraded to a red warning.

Two orange rain warnings for Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, and Gisborne north of Tokomaru Bay are set to begin tomorrow afternoon and last until 9am on Thursday.

Between 180 and 280mm of rain is forecast fall across those two regions during the affected periods.

A heavy rain watch is also in place for Auckland and the Great Barrier Island from noon tomorrow until 3am on Thursday while a strong wind watch is set to begin from 8am tomorrow.

MetService advised residents to bring inside or tie down anything that could be broken or picked up by strong winds, such as outdoor furniture.

“Remove any debris or loose items from around your property.”

🤔 When will the heavy rain arrive?

🌧️ Northland, Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula are all under Heavy Rain Watches or Warnings. Existing rainfall is expected to be persistent and long lasting, which will keep the numbers ticking over. pic.twitter.com/Wqwj1HPO2C

— MetService NZ (@MetService) January 19, 2026

Whangārei mayor Ken Couper has declared a precautionary State of Local Emergency for Whangārei District, from 4pm today.

He said this would be in place for an initial period of seven days, in response to the severe weather this week.

Vector has warned customers in Auckland that the coming heavy rain and strong winds could cause power outages for some customers.

“Our established storm‑response processes mean we can mobilise crews efficiently to restore power as safely and quickly as possible,” the company said in a statement.

“Power outages during stormy weather are most often caused by branches or trees being blown on to power lines, with water-logged soil increasing the risk of trees falling.”

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