Another “atmospheric river” deluge is set to drench parts of the eastern North Island, with one forecaster warning parts of Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti could receive two month’s worth of rain in 48 hours. Image / Niwa
Another “atmospheric river” deluge is set to drench parts of the eastern North Island, with one forecaster warning parts of Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti could receive two month’s worth of rain in 48 hours. Image / Niwa
Another “atmospheric river” is set to drench the eastern North Island, with one forecaster warning parts of Bay of Plenty and Tairawhiti could receive one to two months worth of rain in just 48 hours.
Niwa forecaster Ben Noll said that the eastern North Island had been slammed with extreme events over the last year - and a recent shift toward El Niño had seen conditions trend drier.
“However, a La Niña-like atmospheric ‘cough’ is helping to orchestrate a pattern that is conducive to blocking in the Southwest Pacific - blocking that will stall-and-guide a tropical moisture plume into New Zealand,” Noll posted on X last night.
“The end result looks to be one to two month’s worth of rain in 48 hours or less for parts of Bay of Plenty and East Cape/Gisborne from Sunday through Monday.”
Noll said the worst of the weather looks to be on Monday, coinciding with the deepest tropical moisture - with an appreciable flooding risk.
“Here’s hoping the worst of it slides just offshore, but it’s not looking likely to do that at this point.”
Bay of Plenty Civil Defence took to Facebook yesterday to warn residents of the incoming heavy rain.
“We are well practiced with these weather events in the Bay, and as we know it’s always important to be prepared.
“Be prepared for any power outages by making sure you have torches and batteries available, and you’ve got some emergency food supplies in the house,” the post read.
Why the intense pockets of heavy rain? It's a classic #ConvergenceZone - A big southerly flow from the Southern Ocean meeting a strong northerly flow from the sub-tropics.
The two air flows become head-locked, keeping a line of heavy rain stuck in one area for a long time. pic.twitter.com/kGOEArju2l
Motorists are also urged to be careful as the weather disrupts what was expected to be a busy weekend on the roads due to the beginning of the school holidays.
New Zealand’s capital saw the worst of the front yesterday as it was hit with frequent rain throughout the day.
WeatherWatch earlier said the rain was trapped between two powerful high-pressure zones and one of those highs is also feeding tropical air into the rain over the weekend.
Weather warnings
While severe weather watches and warnings have lapsed for most of the country, eastern parts of the North Island are not off the hook yet.
A heavy rain warning came into effect overnight for the Bay of Plenty region, east of Whakatane, and will remain in place until 2pm tomorrow.
Residents have been told to expect 220 to 320 mm of rain to accumulate about the ranges and 150 to 190 mm farther west, with 20 to 30 mm/h about the ranges during Sunday, and Monday morning.
⚠ Severe Weather Update 🌧 The band of rain lies over eastern Bay of Plenty and Tairāwhiti/Gisborne. It is expected to remain until tomorrow afternoon. Whakatane has had 75 mm of rain in the last 12 hours, with 29 mm between 8-9am. Over 90 mm has fallen on the Gisborne Ranges pic.twitter.com/SD8RNfL6Hk
The previous heavy rain warning over the central North Island including Waitomo, high country south and west of Lake Taupō, Whanganui, and Manawatū expired at 4am today.
A heavy rain warning came into force for Gisborne and the Tairāwhiti ranges at 10am and remain in effect until 3pm Monday.
Residents have been told to expect 220 to 320 mm of rain north of Tolaga Bay and 100 to 140 mm farther south, with peak rates of 20 to 30 mm/h north of Tolaga Bay during Sunday, and Monday morning.
In the South Island, there are three road snowfall warnings for Lewis Pass (SH7), Arthur’s Pass (SH73) and Porters Pass (SH73) in effect until 11am today after light snow showers overnight.
Looking ahead to Monday, Weatherwatch.co.nz predicts a frosty one for the South Island as high pressure combines with clear skies.
Further north a low will drag a southeasterly airflow over the North Island bringing heavy rain in the northeast.
Queenstown, Southland ditch state of emergencies, focus on recovery
The local state of emergencies for Queenstown and Southland were lifted yesterday afternoon as the regions move into a “local transition period” to support the community and address flooding impacts
“I am now terminating the state of local emergency with regard to Queenstown, within the Otago CDEM Group Area, and giving notice of a 28-day transition period over Queenstown within the area,” said Queenstown Mayor Glyn Lewers in an official statement on Saturday afternoon.
Queenstown earlier recorded its wettest 24-hour period in 24 years, leading Lewers to declare a state of emergency for the region at 6.33am on Friday. There was 87mm of rain from 9am Thursday to 9am Friday, Niwa said.
Slip debris covers Reavers Lane in Queenstown after heavy rains. Photo: RNZ
Lewers told NewstalkZB yesterday morning the worst of the weather was likely past and so long as the “rain stays away”, residents and emergency teams can get on with the clean-up.
That included the lifting of cordons at midday yesterday on Brecon St, which had forestry debris washed onto it by flooding waters.
Ten homes have now been red-stickered and two yellow-stickered.
While 55 people were initially evacuated, there were now about 15 people still unable to return to their homes, the council said.
There remains no public access to the Queenstown Cemetery, which took the brunt of the slip with logs and slash scattered throughout the site, or Ben Lomond Reserve for safety reasons.
All roads and streets in the centre of Queenstown have reopened with the exception of Glenorchy-Queenstown Rd between One Mile roundabout and Sunshine Bay.
Elsewhere in the district, Paradise Rd, SH6 between Makarora and Haast, and Mount Aspiring Rd at Glenfinnan Bluffs all remain closed.
Debris covers the road to Glenorchy just outside Queenstown on Friday morning. Photo / George Heard
Southland residents are also busy recovering from the wild weather where Mayor Rob Scott said the region will now go into clean-up mode, with a lot of work required, particularly on farms.
“The state of emergency has been lifted, and we are going into recovery with the awareness that people in southern Southland are still managing floodwaters and further north in New Zealand is now dealing with the heavy rain we had,” he said.
Scott thanked the efforts of Southlanders for the hard work they put in since the declaration.
“From the sandbagging of the Otautau bridge, to the quick thinking to get a generator into Tuatapere so people did not go long without running water, to the support for farmers to get stock to high ground, our people did it together,” he said.
Floodwaters have forced several roads in the Southland region to close. Photo / Emergency Management Southland
Several roads in the region remain closed due to floodwaters throughout the district, and some have re-opened but have surface flooding and/or damage. Commuters are urged to take care and only travel as necessary.
Around 100mm of rain fell across the province as it declared a state of emergency on Thursday night.
Gore issues boil water notice
Yesterday morning, the Gore District Council issued a boil water notice for city inhabitants.
“Our 3 Waters team has issued a boil water notice for Gore, effective immediately,” the council posted on its Facebook page.
“The notice is precautionary after turbidity levels spiked at the Hilbre Ave water treatment plant.
“The increase in particles in the water supply has been caused by discoloured flood water from the Mataura River entering the Jacobstown Well aquifer.”
The council also said that concerns over high water levels in the Mataura River had passed after it peaked at Gore and Mataura, and was starting to fall.
