Police have started an operation to rescue people stuck in between slips on the Waioweka Gorge because of severe weather.
Partner agencies are working with the police to free those stranded on SH2 between Ōpōtiki and Matawai, while police advised anyone with loved ones traveling on the road or in the area and haven’t checked in are to call 105 and quote event number P065149924.
Police closed the gorge to motorists earlier today, and NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) has now advised it will be closed over the weekend.
“Crews are on-site clearing debris,” NZTA said. “Use the detours provided or consider delaying your journey.”
An update on the closure will be given by NZTA on Monday.
SH2 WAIOWEKA GORGE, BAY OF PLENTY - SLIP - UPDATE 5:25PM, FRI 16 JAN
— NZ Transport Agency - Waikato & Bay of Plenty (@nztawbop) January 16, 2026
Waioweka Gorge will be closed over the weekend. Crews are onsite clearing debris. Use the detours provided or consider delaying your journey. An update on the closure will be given on Monday morning, 19 Jan. ^JS https://t.co/qV7wsFFd2J
An electrical storm hit the gorge earlier, which caused the slips and flooding.
Almost 18,000 lightning strikes have been recorded over the past 19 hours and a highway has been closed by slips as severe thunderstorms rumble across the North Island.
MetService says between noon yesterday and 7am today, nearly 18,000 strikes were registered between Northland and Manawatū and surrounding waters.
Taranaki and Waikato recorded the greatest number of strikes.
Meanwhile, a severe thunderstorm threat over Ōpōtoki, Gisborne and Whakatāne this morning has been lifted, with residents earlier told to take cover as the violent storms bore down.
MetService issued the warning at 8.44am, when a line of electrical storms lay from Rūātoki North to Waimana to Kutarere.
“This line of severe thunderstorms is moving towards the south-southeast, and is expected to lie from Matahi to Waimana to the Waioweka Gorge at 9.07am, and near the Waioweka Gorge at 9.37am,” MetService said.
The forecaster warned the thunderstorms would be accompanied by torrential rain and came with a threat of flash flooding.
MetService has lifted an earlier severe thunderstorm warning for the Bay of Plenty that came into force earlier this morning, but a heavy rain warning remains in place.
The forecaster was issuing fresh thunderstorm warnings for parts of the North Island throughout this morning as individual storm cells developed.
A heavy rain warning from last night was in place until 11am for Bay of Plenty and Rotorua.
A severe thunderstorm watch was also in force until 11am for Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay and Waikato. MetService said there was a “moderate risk” of severe thunderstorms bringing downpours with rainfall of 25-40mm/h.
It followed severe weather on Thursday, with several tornadoes to be sweeping across North Island areas, with reports of damage to buildings and downed trees and fences.
🟧🟡UPDATED Heavy Rain Watches and Warnings, ⚡Thunderstorms and Downpours⛈️
— MetService NZ (@MetService) January 15, 2026
⛈️The risk of downpours due to thunderstorms is there for all of the North Island.
⚡This means that on top of Heavy Rain Warnings and or Watches, places could see Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Issued… pic.twitter.com/qq0bM0LfJf
Variable weather had been forecast across New Zealand today, with warmer temperatures in the North Island and colder conditions in the South.
MetService meteorologist Michael Pauley told the Herald the low-pressure system, which brought heavy rain and thunderstorms yesterday, would move off New Zealand.
“This pushes east where, around about midday, we’re seeing that main rain band lying just over East Cape, so that pushes off over the afternoon,” he said.
“Things will be getting a bit finer for the upper part of the North Island. We do see a few showers but they’re going to be relatively isolated.”
Friday will have a few similarities to today:
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) January 15, 2026
Locally heavy showers and thunderstorms in the North Island (but not as widespread as today)
Continued rain in the eastern South Island
Another big temperature disparity:
Comfortable in the North Island
Chilly in the South Island pic.twitter.com/89yJu4Iqwx
.
Warm temperatures in the bottom half of the North Island were forecast to fall on Saturday.
Hastings was forecast to have a high of 30C today, whereas tomorrow a high of 19C was forecast, Pauley said.
The forecaster pointed to a southerly moving across the North Island as the cause of the cold temperatures.
“The low pushes off east and drags the southerlies in behind it.”
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