After a deluge of rain hammered parts of Auckland and the Coromandel overnight, Auckland is just hours away from another drenching.
Aucklanders can expect rain for much of Friday and to herald in the weekend, though not as dramatic as Wednesday's downpour.
Dry conditions from mid-morning on Thursday offered a brief respite from the heavy falls that dumped 65mm over Auckland Airport between 7pm Wednesday and 6am Thursday - 27mm of which fell in just two hours.
But showers, some heavy and possibly thundery, are set to return to the city Thursday afternoon and overnight.
Come Friday, thunder and lightning are likely to return to the City of Sails, Metservice forecaster Sonja Farmer said.
"There's a band of rain stretching across Auckland and Great Barrier Island, slipping down over the Coromandel Peninsula going forward."
Here are the latest Warning and Watch areas for heavy rain. More details regarding amounts and timings can be found here https://t.co/qHyE5zhh6X ^SG pic.twitter.com/2S0vPif7Jd
— MetService (@MetService) June 25, 2020
The overnight deluge also caused a headache for commuters travelling to work across Auckland today A slower-than-usual journey was in store for those using the Southern Motorway, and floodwaters washed across lanes near Manurewa. One northbound lane was underwater at Orams Rd.
On the bright side, the torrential rain topped up Auckland's critically low reservoir dam levels.
Watercare says as of 8am today the region's dams were 47.1 per cent full, compared to 44.8 per cent yesterday. The normal average level for this time of year is 78.53 per cent.
We are currently working to ensure Hunua Road is safe following a roadside slip caused by severe weather. We will keep you updated but we expect the road to be closed overnight. pic.twitter.com/pYenVNBUfK
— Auckland Transport (@AklTransport) June 25, 2020
Fire and Emergency said they attended around 20 weather-related jobs across Auckland between 6am and 8am today.
Fire crews also helped at least two drivers caught out by floodwaters washing over the region's roads.
A police spokesperson said members of the public used a rope to pull the vehicle out of the floodwaters. Fire and Emergency services were also at the scene.
A Paeroa farmer shared a video on Twitter of flooding in paddocks, saying "We're certainly over the drought!".
Ahhh we have the infamous “lake piss off” returned overnight....🧐🧐 by the looks of it we’ve got about 8-9 lakes return overnight....
— Bart van de Ven (@bartjevandeven) June 24, 2020
133mm overnight and I’m glad I took our girls🤙🏻🤙🏻 what everyone else get??#agchatnz pic.twitter.com/a73pDraXYu
— Bart van de Ven (@bartjevandeven) June 24, 2020
In Bay of Plenty, a heavy rain warning was in place west of Edgecumbe, including the Kaimai Range, until 3pm today.
Heavy rain of up to 40mm of top of the earlier rainfall was expected, and surface flooding and slips are possible in the area.
More rain or showers are likely to hit the area tomorrow and Saturday.
Gisborne is set for another hammering, with periods of heavy rain and isolated thunderstorms expected until 12pm Friday.
"Expect 120 to 180mm to accumulate about the ranges north of Gisborne City, with 70 to 100mm elsewhere," Metservice's warning said.
Thunderstorms will crackle across the skies this evening and Friday morning.
The heavy rain may lead to rapidly rising streams and rivers and slips and flooding are possible in the area.
Heavy rain is also on the cards for Hawke's Bay, where up to 140mm is expected to fall about the Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges, with 70 to 90mm elsewhere.
A heavy rain warning is in place for the area until 3pm tomorrow.
More rain 🌧️ is forecast over the next 48 hours.
— NIWA Weather (@NiwaWeather) June 24, 2020
The heaviest is expected to fall over the east of the North Island (particularly about the ranges), elevating the risk for slips and localised flooding.
Note: forecast totals include rain fallen since midnight Thursday. pic.twitter.com/l9o8vLVo6D
Coromandel Peninsula, which was lashed with 140mm of rain in the southern ranges over the past 18 hours, will also be in line for another drenching.
Wednesday's heavy rain left a swathe of damage across the Coromandel Peninsula, where debris and slips affected many of the region's roads.
Teams were inspecting the extent of the storm's fury and concern was mounting about the swollen Kauaeranga River and the morning high tide.
The Thames-Coromandel District Council said the brunt of the storm was felt on the eastern seaboard. The rapid assessment team was now gauging the damage. There were reports of trees down and wind damage.
Parts of SH25A between Kopu and Hikuai were underwater, closing the road. The Kauaeranga Valley River Bridge at Rhodes Park in Thames was also impassable, with surface flooding at Puriri, Te Puru, Kopu east heading to Paeroa and the Karangahake Gorge.
More showers, some heavy and possibly thundery in the area on Friday is expected to cause problems in the saturated region.
In the South Island, a heavy rain watch is in place for the Tasman mountains, including the Arthur Range and Takaka Hill until 6pm Friday.
Periods of heavy rain will hit the area, and Metservice warns that rainfall may approach warning criteria - 80 to 90mm in 24 hours.
A strong wind watch is also in place for Nelson west of Motueka and Buller north of Westport until 6am Friday.
Southeasterly winds may approach severe gale in exposed places at times.
☁Onshore flow down South🌧
— MetService (@MetService) June 24, 2020
The weather is currently less severe down south but a dreary day is in store for most as onshore flows push in cloud and drizzle/rain. Sunny out West though! ^Lewis pic.twitter.com/6kOILi1EQC
Rain for much of the North Island on Saturday. In the South Island, rain in the north and developing in the west, drizzle in the east.
Mainly fine, apart from areas of cloud about Southern Lakes, Otago and Southland.
Come Sunday, the North Island will get showers in the west and north gradually clearing. Becoming fine in the east.
South Island, rain in the west gradually easing. Scattered rain elsewhere clearing afternoon or evening and becoming fine.
READ MORE:
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More than two dozen firefighters battled the fire at its peak.