Roads are starting to flood across Northland, with the Far North particularly bad, as more foul weather beats down on the region.
As of 4pm on Friday five roads in the Far North were closed due to flooding, all in the Doubtless Bay and wider Kaitāia areas.
They were Sandhills Rd, Ahipara; Taumata Rd, Taipā; Whangape Rd, Herekino; Peria Rd, Peria; and Inland Rd, Karikari Peninsula. Motorists needing to access Karikari Peninsula should use the Inland Rd bypass road.
Kaitāia-Awaroa Rd and Commerce St in Kaitāia had re-opened after closing on Thursday due to surface flooding.
Another 15 roads across the Far North had restricted access due to flooding, overslips, washouts or fallen trees.
Miro Place, Mangatoetoe Rd, Duncan Rd, Wireless Rd and Bell Road, all in the Kaitāia area, and School Gulley Road in Kāeo were passable by four-wheel-drive vehicles only.
Roads that were open but where caution was required included West Coast Rd, Waiotehue Rd, Church Rd, Clough Rd, Waiotemarama Gorge Rd and Pokapu Rd.
Wekaweka Rd, in South Hokianga, was passable but drivers had to avoid large boulders scattered on the road.
Kerikeri Rd, near the intersection with Access Rd, was affected by significant surface flooding after a late morning downpour.
Two police officers were seen going well beyond the call of duty around 12.30pm, kneeling in the floodwaters and clearing out a blocked drain by hand. The floodwater soon dissipated.
MetService has an Orange Heavy Rain Warning in place for Northland until 6am on Saturday.
The warning, issued just after noon, says heavy rain can cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly. Surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous. Motorists are urged to drive to the conditions and be wary of flooding.
In addition to the 50 to 70 millimetres of rain that had already accumulated in parts of the region up until then, it said to expect a further 70 to 100mm, with the largest accumulations north of Whangārei. Peak rates of 15 to 30mm an hour are possible in localised places, especially during possible thunderstorms.
The latest foul weather comes after one of the wettest starts to the year on record in the region.
Civil Defence Northland said a long and slow rainfall event was settling in. Rain has continued across the region again overnight and into the early morning, with the heaviest falls across the top of the Far North.
Civil Defence was monitoring the situation and would respond when needed.
“If you need to be out on the roads overnight or early tomorrow morning, please take extra care as there may be hazards such as surface flooding and slips, and if you see flood water – please don’t drive through it,” it said.
MetService urges Northlanders to keep up to date with weather forecasts.
While the storm rages, rainfall levels have not been exceptionally high at Northland Regional Council rainfall hubs.
Opouteke had the heaviest rainfall in the 24 hours to 1pm with 71.5mm, followed by Kaeo with 69.5mm, Kerikeri with 64.5mm and Kaitaia with 50mm.